Sucralfate alleviating post–laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty pain

• Published in: American journal of otolaryngology Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 55 - 58
• Main Authors: Kyrmizakis, Dionysios E., Papadakis, Chariton E., Bizakis, John G., Velegrakis, George A., Siafakas, Nikolaos M., Helidonis, Emmanuel S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.01.2001; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anti-Ulcer Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Ent. Stomatology; Head and neck surgery. Maxillofacial surgery. Dental surgery. Orthodontics; Humans; Laser Therapy - methods; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures - methods; Pain Measurement; Pain, Postoperative - diagnosis; Pain, Postoperative - drug therapy; Palate, Soft - surgery; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Single-Blind Method; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive - surgery; Sucralfate - therapeutic use; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the upper aerodigestive tract; Uvula - surgery; Human; Postoperative; Palatine velum; Sleep apnea syndrome; Upper respiratory tract; Antiulcer agent; Obstruction; Plasty; Sucralfate; Chemotherapy; Pain; Treatment; Surgery; Laser; ENT disease; Biological effect; Antiacid
• ISSN: 0196-0709; 1532-818X
• DOI: 10.1053/ajot.2001.20686

Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) is an outpatient mode of treatment for snoring and perhaps for some mild cases of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. LAUP results in severe throat pain that usually lasts for 8 to 14 days. Sucralfate adheres to proteins at the duodenal ulcer site, forming a protective coating against gastric acid, pepsin, and bile salts, that promotes healing. If a similar protective coating could be created at the area of LAUP trauma, morbidity may be diminished. Twenty-eight patients have undergone LAUP treatment—2 with mild obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and 26 with simple snoring. A block-randomized, single blind clinical study was performed. Sucralfate was administered in 14 patients (group A) every 6 hours for 15 days as a swish and swallow, whereas the other 14 patients (group B) received water for injection with a strawberry flavor as placebo with the same dosing. As a conclusion, sucralfate significantly lowered postoperative pain and the need for analgesic drug use as well as the total number of the days the patients needed to almost reach their normal diet quantity (≥80% of normal quantity). (Am J Otolaryngol 2001;22:55-58. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company)