Intraoperative administered tramadol reduces the need for piritramide in the immediate postoperative period in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy: A retrospective observational study.

PURPOSE: Adenotonsillectomy is a frequently performed procedure in pediatric day-case surgery causing significant pain for which adequate analgesia is required. Our aim was to investigate if the intraoperative administration of IV tramadol decreases the need for postoperative pain medication in children. Because tramadol has well-known pro-emetic effects, we also assessed the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).

METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational study in 314 children aged 1-13 years undergoing elective adenotonsillectomy. We identified 160 children who had received standard pain medication consisting of IV paracetamol and ketorolac and compared them with a group of 154 children who had received in addition a perioperative infusion of tramadol.

RESULTS: 32.5% of the patients in the tramadol group versus 83.8% of the patients in the standard group required postoperative administration of piritramide (p < 0.0001). Groups did not differ with respect to the postoperative need for anti-emetics but in the tramadol group more patients had received prophylactic therapy with odansetron or dexamethasone (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION: The results of this retrospective study indicate that intraoperative tramadol administration in combination with prophylactic antiemetic therapy decreases the need for piritramide in the immediate postoperative period without increasing the incidence of PONV after tonsillectomy in children.