Letters to the Editor

Indian Pediatrics 2002; 39:887

Reply

The aim of the study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of Nimesulide. This included children who underwent minor surgical procedures which are ordinarily done as a day care in our unit. For the purpose of this study, the children stayed in till they were free of pain. Since the cases were similar in terms of potential of the surgical trauma to the cause and response of pain, they were not randomized. This has already been discussed in the paper. Each procedure was done under general anesthesia, with added caudal analgesia wherever applicable. The drugs were administered by nurses along with the first feed after waking up from anesthesia. They were not aware of the content of Drug A or B. All children were seen at one week but the two month follow up is incomplete and this again has been discussed in the paper. The authors agree that the drug has not been approved in several countries, including the USA. However, it is being used in several centers as already referred in the article.

In the meantime, while we wait for more studies to appear, we continue to use if for continuing postoperative pain relief after day care surgery in children. This is being done as a second alternative, due to the lack of free availability of diclofenac rectal suppository which is the popular drug for continuing pain relief after pediatric day care surgery in the western world.

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