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Several studies have compared the parenteral NSAID ketorolac with parenteral opioids, principally Demerol. This randomized, double-blind trial compared oral ketorolac with oral acetaminophen-hydrocodone in 252 patients who underwent laparoscopy or arthroscopy at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
Patients received one of three regimens given every 6 hours: acetaminophen (750 mg) with hydrocodone (7.5 mg), oral ketorolac (10 mg), or a single placebo dose followed by ketorolac. Only 55 (22%) completed the 72-hour study. Most of the 197 dropouts needed no further analgesia or required a rescue analgesic. The ketorolac group had more patients needing no further analgesia after the first dose than did the acetaminophen-hydrocodo…