Does celecoxib have pre-emptive analgesic effect after Caesarean section surgery?
W.-P. Fong L.-C. Yang J.-I. Wu H.-S. Chen P.-H. Tan* Kaohsiung, Taiwan * E-mail: tanphphd{at}yahoo.com.tw’ + u + ‘@’ + d + ”//–> Editor—The addition of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to a postoperative Caesarean analgesic regimen could improve postoperative pain and reduce opioid analgesic requirements.1 The potential maternal side-effects (e.g. antiplatelet and gastrointestinal) and effects on breast-feeding infants raise concerns about their use in the postoperative Caesarean delivery setting.2 Cyclo-oxygenase-2-specific inhibitors (COX-2 inhibitors) are effective postoperative analgesics, decreasing pain scores and analgesic consumption after surgery.3 COX-2 inhibitors are, thus, potentially attractive alternatives for post-Caesarean use because they have less platelet inhibition compared with NSAIDs.3 As both rofecoxib and valdecoxib were removed from the market because of potential myocardial and stroke risks, celecoxib remains the only available COX-2 inhibitor.
