Ibuprofen Plus Acetaminophen Versus Oxycodone Alone After Hand Surgery

Opiate analgesics remain the most popular option following outpatient hand surgery despite growing evidence that non-opiate analgesics may provide equivalent pain relief with fewer adverse effects and greater overall satisfaction. The purpose of this randomized trial is to compare the efficacy, side effect profiles and satisfaction associated with Ibuprofen plus Acetaminophen versus Oxycodone alone following outpatient hand surgery. No previous studies have compared the use of opiate analgesics with acetaminophen/ibuprofen following outpatient hand surgery. Patients will be randomized to receive either oxycodone alone or acetaminophen and ibuprofen following outpatient soft tissue hand surgery. Patients will be randomized to receive one of the two aforementioned pain regimens. Patients will be given a booklet in which to record pain level by visual analog scale (VAS), satisfaction with pain control, brief pain inventory and any side effects. Patients will be seen in clinic 1 week after surgery to review symptoms. Patients may also be contacted by phone to review daily log of symptoms. Patients will be seen in clinic 1 week after surgery per standard of care.