Comparison of Effectiveness and Safety of Oxycodone Hydrochloride and Fentanyl for Post-operative Pain Following Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Randomized Triple-Blind Trial

 Total hip replacement (THR) is frequently associated with intense post-surgical pain. Effective pain management is of crucial importance to improving patient's condition and increasing his/her satisfaction in the post-operative time.

 This study aimed to compare the analgesic effect and safety of oxycodone and fentanyl after THR.

 Seventy-two cases scheduled for elective THR were included in this randomized, triple-blind trial. The patients were equally randomized into 2 groups: fentanyl group (50 ug of fentanyl) and oxycodone group (oxycodone 4 mg). Drugs were received 20 min prior to the end of the operation.

 Post-operative visual analog scale (VAS) measurements at rest and movement at the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and in the ward, 2 h, 4 h, and 8 h post-operatively exhibited a significantly reduced value in the oxycodone group compared to the fentanyl group (P-value < 0.05). Time to first rescue for analgesia was delayed significantly in the oxycodone compared to the fentanyl group (P-value < 0.001). Fentanyl consumption (ug) in the 1st post-operative 12 h, 24 h, and 48 h decreased significantly in the oxycodone group compared to the fentanyl group (P-value < 0.001). Post-operative nausea, vomiting, headache, and pruritus were matched between the 2 groups (P > 0.05).

 A bolus dose of 4 mg of oxycodone provided superior analgesic efficacy than 50 ug fentanyl as evidenced by significantly lower pain score, delayed onset to first request for analgesia, and the smaller amount of fentanyl consumption at 12, 24, and 48 h post-total hip arthroplasty compared to fentanyl. The incidence of adverse events was comparable between the 2 groups.