Sucralfate for posttonsillectomy analgesia.

Pain is one of the most troublesome complications of tonsillectomy. The pain appears as throat pain, otalgia, or both, and continues until mucosal recovery on the tonsillar fossae is complete. Some surgical and hemostasis techniques may increase pain. Analgesics, antibiotics, steroids, and local and topical anesthetics are used to relieve posttonsillectomy pain, but none has the desired effectiveness. The pain reliever must not increase bleeding and must have minimal side effects. Sucralfate, a basic amino salt of sucrose octasulfate, binds to the matrix protein of a peptic ulcer and produces a protective barrier. Tonsillectomy leaves two large ulcerous wounds, and sucralfate may bind those wounds as it does peptic ulcers. In this controlled study, the efficacy of sucralfate on posttonsillectomy throat pain, otalgia, analgesic requirement, degree of strength, bleeding, body temperature, and mucosal recovery is investigated in 80 patients. Sucralfate is found to significantly reduce throat pain and analgesic requirement after surgery.