Pain research & management : the journal of the Canadian Pain Society = journal de la société canadienne pour le traitement de la douleur
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Transdermal nitroglycerin as an adjuvant to patient-controlled morphine analgesia after total knee arthroplasty.
Nitroglycerin (NTG) has been shown to be a useful adjunct for pain treatment without increasing adverse side effects. The effects of NTG on postoperative morphine consumption after knee replacement were evaluated. ⋯ The use of NTG patches conferred no advantage over the use of placebo in patients receiving patient-controlled morphine analgesia after total knee replacement. Two myocardial infarcts occurred in this group. Therefore, the safety of postoperative NTG patch use for pain control must be questioned.