British journal of anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Ketorolac, diclofenac, and ketoprofen are equally safe for pain relief after major surgery.
Ketorolac is approved for the relief of postoperative pain but concerns have been raised over a possible risk of serious adverse effects and death. Two regulatory reviews in Europe on the safety of ketorolac found the data were inconclusive and lacked comparison with other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The aim of this study was to compare the risk of serious adverse effects with ketorolac vs diclofenac or ketoprofen in adult patients after elective major surgery. ⋯ We conclude that ketorolac is as safe as ketoprofen and diclofenac for the treatment of pain after major surgery.