Categories
Change Password!
Reset Password!
Optimized ketorolac dosing is reshaping post-cesarean pain management by reducing opioid reliance while maintaining favorable safety outcomes.
A higher loading dose of intravenous (IV) ketorolac administered immediately after cesarean delivery may offer better early pain relief while reducing reliance on opioids, according to findings from a randomized controlled trial led by Joe Eid et al.
Pregnant women (n=92) undergoing cesarean section under regional anesthesia were randomly divided to receive either a 60-mg (intervention) or 30-mg (control) IV ketorolac loading dose in the operating room immediately after surgery. Baseline demographic, pregnancy, and surgical characteristics were similar between groups. The key endpoint was opioid use, measured as morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs), during the first 24 hours post-delivery.
Secondary endpoints encompassed total postoperative opioid use during the delivery admission, postpartum pain scores (0–10 Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale), and time from completion of cesarean delivery to first opioid administration. As found, the higher-dose regimen provided advantages across several postoperative recovery measures, including reduced opioid exposure and improved early pain control (Table 1).
No treatment-related adverse events were observed in either group, supporting the safety of the higher loading dose within the study population. The study adds to growing evidence supporting opioid-sparing pain management after cesarean delivery, showing that a 60-mg ketorolac loading dose can modestly minimize opioid requirements while offering better early pain control and maintaining a favorable safety profile. Larger studies are warranted to check whether these benefits translate into meaningful clinical improvements in routine practice.
O&G Open
Two Perioperative Ketorolac Dosing Regimens After Cesarean Delivery and Opioid Use: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Joe Eid et al.
Comments (0)