A fixed schedule for analgesic treatment following tonsillectomy did not differ significantly from individual analgesic treatment, indicating that analgesic therapy after this procedure is suboptimal, according to findings published in Ear, Nose & Throat Journal. Heinrich Iro, MD, and colleagues conducted a prospective trial in which patients received individualized pain treatment on demand (control group) or a fixed, four-stage increasing analgesic schedule (intervention group) following tonsillectomy. The control group reported comparable minimum and maximum pain, as well as pain on ambulation, compared with the intervention group. Patients in both groups reported comparable satisfaction regarding the pain treatment they received; they also experienced similar side effects and functional impairment. The findings indicate that pain control after tonsillectomy “was not distinctly affected” by the fixed-schedule regimen compared with the individualized treatment. “Consequently, further efforts are needed to achieve a standardized and effective approach to the underlying pathophysiological causes of pain following [tonsillectomy],” Dr. Iro and colleagues wrote.
