Acetaminophen for analgesia following pyloromyotomy: does the route of administration make a difference?

BACKGROUND: During the perioperative care of infants with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, an opioid-sparing technique is often advocated due to concerns such as postoperative hypoventilation and apnea. Although the rectal administration of acetaminophen is commonly employed, an intravenous (IV) preparation is also currently available, but only limited data are available regarding IV acetaminophen use for infants undergoing pyloromyotomy. The objective of the current study was to compare the efficacy of IV and rectal acetaminophen for postoperative analgesia in infants undergoing laparoscopic pyloromyotomy. METHODS: A retrospective review of the use of IV and rectal acetaminophen in infants undergoing laparoscopic pyloromyotomy was performed. The efficacy was assessed by evaluating the perioperative need for supplemental analgesic agents, postoperative pain scores, tracheal extubation time, time in the postanesthesia care unit, time to oral feeding, and time to hospital discharge. RESULTS: The study cohort included 68 patients, of whom 34 patients received IV acetaminophen and 34 received rectal acetaminophen. All patients also received local infiltration of the surgical site with 0.25% bupivacaine. No intraoperative opioids were administered. There was no difference between the two groups with regard to postoperative pain scores, need for supplemental analgesic agents, time in the postanesthesia care unit, or time in the hospital. There was no difference in the number of children who tolerated oral feeds on the day of surgery or in postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary data suggest that there is no clinical difference or advantage with the use of IV versus rectal acetaminophen in infants undergoing laparoscopic pyloromyotomy.