Torakotomi sonrasi analjezide, intravenöz tramadol ile hasta-kontrollü analjezi ve devamli infüzyonun karşilaştirilmasi Comparison of patient-controlled analgesia and continuous infusion with intravenous tramadol in post-thoracotomy analgesia

Objectives: We aimed to compare the consumption, and analgesic and adverse effects of tramadol that given via continuous intravenous infusion and intravenous patientcontrolled analgesia. Materials and methods: Forty patients who planned for elective thoracotomy were included in this study. Group I patients received 100 mg loading dose, 5 mg hour-1 basal infusion, 20 mg bolus dose, 5 minutes locked out time, 4 hours limit of 300 mg tramadol. Group II patients received 100 mg loading dose followed by continuous infusion of 12 mg hour-1. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores and sedation scores were determined at postoperative 0, 4, 16, 24 th hours. Systolic arterial pressure, diastolic arterial pressure, mean arterial pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate, peripheral O 2 saturation scores were recorded at postoperative 0,1,2,4,8,16,24 th hours. After 24 hours complications and amount of used tramadol were recorded. Results: A significant decrease was observed in VAS scores starting from the fourth hour compared to all other times in both groups (p<0.001). When the beginning time and the other times in groups was compared, there was a statistically significant decreasing observed in sedation scores starting from the 4 th hour to all other times (p<0.001). Total tramadol consumption in group I (374.2±132.5 mg) was found to be significantly higher compared with group II (292.4±80.1 mg) (p<0.05). Hypotension was observed in four patients in group I and this difference was statistically significant (p<0.05).