Prophylactically-Administered Rectal Acetaminophen Does Not Reduce Postoperative Opioid Requirements in Infants and Small Children Undergoing Elective Cleft Palate Repair

Rectal acetaminophen (Ac) is often administered prophylactically at anesthesia induction for postoperative pain management in small children and is thought to have an opioid-sparing effect. We assessed in this double-blinded, prospective, randomized study early opioid requirements after three doses of Ac (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg versus placebo) in 80 children (ASA physical status I, age 11.4 +/- 9.9 mo) undergoing cleft palate repair. Single Ac plasma concentrations were measured. Pain scores assessed in the postanesthesia care unit of > or = 4 of 10 resulted in the IV administration of 25 microg/kg piritramide, a popular European mu receptor agonist (lockout time, 10 min; maximum 0.125 mg/kg). There were no significant differences between groups with regard to the early postoperative pain scores and the overall cumulative IV opioid requirements. Maximal plasma concentrations achieved were only subtherapeutic (Ac 10 mg/kg: 8 microg/mL; Ac 20 mg/kg: 13 microg/mL; Ac 40 mg/kg: 21 microg/mL after 122, 122, and 121 min, respectively). We conclude that rectal Ac up to 40 mg/kg has no opioid-sparing effect, does not result in analgesic Ac plasma concentrations, and lacks proof of its efficacy in infants and small children undergoing cleft palate repair, whereas titrated IV opioid boluses produced rapid and reliable pain relief.