Effect of local application of bupivacaine on post tonsillectomy pain

Tonsillectomy is known to cause severe pain post operatively which is the most significant obstacle to the rehabilitation of a patient following tonsillectomy. Number of analgesics like steroids, opoids, non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs and anaesthetics has been in use. In this study we Assess the effect of local application of bupivacaine on post tonsillectomy pain.Chronic tonsillitis patients undergoing tonsillectomy were included in the study. After surgery a pack soaked in 0.5 ml of bupivacaine was placed in right tonsillar fossa and 0.9% normal saline soaked pack in left fossa for five minutes. Severity of pain was measured by visual analogue scale after 1 hour, 2 hours, 4hours, 8 hours and 12 hours. Topical application of bupivacaine was found to be efficacious in post tonsillectomy pain as compared to placebo