Abstract
A short-acting opioid, alfentanil (20 μg/kg i.v.), was used before local anaesthetic procedure of the nose to alleviate pain caused by intranasal cocaine-epinephrine soaked cotton swabs and lidocaine-epinephrine infiltration into the infraorbital nerve region. The study was randomized and double blind and included 52 healthy young adults, 26 each in alfentanil and placebo groups. Pain was assessed with a visual analogue scale and by observation of pain-related behavioral changes. Alfentanil proved to be effective in relieving pain caused by local anesthetic procedure (P < 0.005 compared with the placebo group). No hemodynamic or respiratory problems were noticed. None of the patients suffered from nausea. We conclude that alfentanil alleviates pain caused by nasal local anesthetic procedures.
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