Safety Study of Post Tonsillectomy Ibuprofen Use in Adults

Overview

The purpose of this study is to determine if ibuprofen use after electrocautery tonsillectomy increases the post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage rate. Hypothesis: Use of ibuprofen does not increase the post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage rate. Primary outcome: Rate of tonsillar hemorrhage following adult tonsillectomy in those receiving narcotic pain medications plus ibuprofen compared to those receiving narcotics alone. Secondary outcome: Determine whether ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), decreases post tonsillectomy pain, narcotic pain medication use, or cost of pain management.

Tonsillectomy is common procedure associated with significant post-operative pain typically managed by narcotic pain medication. Narcotics, however, can have inherent unwanted side effects such as respiratory depression. In fact, a recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning has reported deaths from respiratory distress that were associated with use of codeine in children after tonsillectomy. Finding alternative pain management regimens therefore is essential in post-tonsillectomy care. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications may provide an effective alternative to narcotics, but use of NSAIDs routinely after tonsillectomy has been limited due to concern for theoretical increased risk of post-operative bleeding, This is likely true for NSAIDs such as aspirin. NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, however, are believed to have no greater risk of bleeding than baseline, but this has not been proven. Recent, well-designed, prospective pediatric studies have demonstrated effective analgesia improvement with the addition of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen to post-operative pain management regimens, and no increased rate of post-surgery bleeding. This has not adequately been studied in adults but could provide many patients significant pain relief in the post-operative period if it is shown to not increase post tonsillectomy hemorrhage rates, as already demonstrated in the pediatric population.