A Multicentre, Double-Blind, Double-Dummy, Randomised Study of the Analgesic Efficacy and Safety of Valdecoxib Compared to Diclofenac Sodium in Patients Undergoing Knee Arthroscopy for Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients who had undergone an uncomplicated ACL reconstruction procedure and were in satisfactory health were included in the study * In addition, they needed to have a baseline pain intensity of ≥ 50 mm on the VAS and "moderate to severe" pain on the categorical scale within 8 hours of the completion of the surgical procedure to be included Exclusion Criteria: * Patient was scheduled to undergo any other surgical procedure, along with the orthopedic procedure, that was expected to produce a greater degree of surgical trauma than the orthopedic procedure alone * The patient was undergoing bilateral knee arthroscopy * The patient used conventional NSAIDs, COX-2 inhibitors, or Tramadol during the 6 hours preceding surgery, during surgery or subsequent to the end of surgery, until randomization * The patient received oxaprozin or piroxicam within one week prior to randomization * The patient was required to take muscle relaxants, tricyclic antidepressants, tranquilizers, sedatives, hypnotics and neuroleptics, in the post operative period after the patient was randomized into the study * The patient had been treated with patient controlled analgesia subsequent to the end of the surgical procedure