Clinical Trial: Nausea and Pain Prophylaxis During Thyroid Surgery

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Nausea and Pain Prophylaxis During Thyroid Surgery, a Comparison of Low-Dose and High-Dose Dexamethasone to Placebo

Brief Summary:

Postoperative pain and nausea may diminish a patient`s wellbeing, and may also delay rehabilitation, as well as increase the total cost of care and treatment. Opioids are effective drugs for treatment of pain, but with the disadvantage of side effects such as somnolence and nausea. The benefits of various types of non-opioid analgesic in reducing patients` postoperative need for opioids have been well-documented.

One non-opioid prophylaxis documented for various surgery is short-term treatment with corticosteroids. The optimal dose of corticosteroids for peroperative nausea and pain prophylaxis is not well-documented. In our study we will attempt to determine whether the aforementioned benefits of corticosteroids are valid for a group of patients undergoing thyroid surgery.

Hypothesis: Single-dose treatment with dexamethasone provides a better analgesic effect and/or reduced use of opioids than placebo in patients undergoing elective throid surgery. Higher dose of dexamethasone provide better and/or longer-lasting analgesic effects without influencing the side effect profile.

Detailed Summary:
Sponsor: Sykehuset Telemark

Current Primary Outcome: Pain (VAS) and use of opioids. Nausea. [ Time Frame: 30 days ]

Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome: Nausea [ Time Frame: 30 days ]

Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: Sykehuset Telemark

Dates:
Date Received: December 7, 2007
Date Started: September 2007
Date Completion:
Last Updated: January 14, 2009
Last Verified: January 2009