ANALGESIC EFFECT OF LOW DOSE BUPRENORPHINE INJECTED INTRA-ARTICULARLY AFTER KNEE ARTHROSCOPY

Objective:To investigate the analgesic effect of low dose Buprenorphine injected intra-articularly after knee arthroscopy, and compared with that of Morphine. Methods: At the end of surgery, 48 patients with ASA Physical StatusⅠtoⅡ, undergoing knee arthroscopy, were randomly divided to intra-arcularly receive low dose Buprenorphine 0.1 mg (group B, n=16),Morphine 1 mg(group M, n=16) and the same volume of normal saline solution(group C, n=16). After administration of drugs metioned above, visual analogue scale(VAS) was scored immediately after the patients actively flexed the operated knee to 90°. Meanwhile degree of patients' satisfaction with analgesic effect, the amount of Pethidine injected on patients' demand during 8 hours after surgery, and side effects were also recorded. Results: During 8 postoperative hours, the amount of Pethidine in group B and group M, which was 9.4 mg and 28.1 mg, respectively, were lower than that in group C. At 2h there was significant statistical difference in VAS between group B or group M and group C. At 4h,8h,12h and 24h postoperatively VAS were much lower in group B than in group M and in group C( P 0.001), and VAS in group M was also lower than in group C. Meanwhile significant difference in degree of patient's satisfaction with analgesic was found between group B or M and group C( P 0.001). Conclusion: Intra-articularly injected Buprenorphine could provide better postoperative analgesia for patients undergoing knee arthroscopy for up to 24h compared with Morphine.