Ibuprofen with Acetaminophen for Postoperative Pain Control following Tonsillectomy Does Not Increase Emergency Department Utilization

ObjectiveTo compare the performance of ibuprofen vs codeine for postoperative pain management after tonsillectomy as measured by need for emergency department (ED) treatment for pain and/or dehydration.Study DesignRetrospective case series with chart review.SettingTertiary children’s hospital.Subjects and MethodsConsecutive series of patients who underwent tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy at a tertiary children’s hospital. Patients were categorized based on the type of postoperative pain management (acetaminophen with codeine vs acetaminophen and ibuprofen). The main outcome measure was the proportion of patients requiring ED visits or inpatient admissions for inadequate pain control or dehydration. Secondary measures included antibiotic use, postoperative hemorrhage, need for return to the operating room, vomiting, and oral diet tolerance.ResultsPatients in the ibuprofen/acetaminophen group were younger than those in the codeine/acetaminophen group (6.2 vs 8.1 years, P < .05). Patients in the ...