Effect of Cryotherapy plus Flurbiprofen Axetil for Pain Management in Children Undergoing Tonsillectomy

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of cryotherapy using ice pops for physical analgesia and preventive analgesia using flurbiprofen axetil for pain management in children undergoing tonsillectomy. METHODS: A total of 120 children scheduled for tonsillectomy were recruited after assessment for eligibility and assigned to a control group (group C), flurbiprofen axetil group (group F), cryotherapy group (group I), and cryotherapy plus flurbiprofen axetil group (Group FI) via the random number table method. Groups F and FI were given 1 mg/kg of flurbiprofen axetil through intravenous injection 30 min before surgery, while group C received an equal amount of saline at the same time point. Groups I and FI received sweet ice pops for pain relief after recovery from anesthesia. The modified Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (mCHEOPS) scores and pediatric anesthesia emergence delirium (PAED) scores at 5 minutes (T1), 30 minutes (T2), 60 minutes (T3), 4 hours (T4), and 24 hours (T5) postoperatively, and the incidence of postoperative complications in the children were recorded by investigators who were masked to the grouping results. RESULTS: From T1 to T4, significantly lower mCHEOPS scores and PAED scores were observed in group F, group I, and group FI versus those in group C (P < 0.05). At T2, group FI showed significantly lower mCHEOPS scores and PAED scores versus groups F and I (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the mCHEOPS scores and PAED scores between the four groups at 24 h postoperatively (P > 0.05). The differences in the documented postoperative complications between the four groups did not come up to the statistical standard (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Cryotherapy plus flurbiprofen axetil for pain management significantly mitigates post-tonsillectomy pain and delirium in children and facilitates recovery, with no significant adverse events.