Intravenous flurbiprofen axetil accelerates restoration of bowel function after colorectal surgery

Purpose: Flurbiprofen axetil (FA) is a potent non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID). We examined the effects that perioperative intravenous administration of FA, combined with thoracic epidural anesthesia and postoperative patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA), have on bowel function, postoperative pain, and cytokine release, after open colorectal surgery.