Pain Control With Ketorolac and Nerve Block After Wrist and Hand Surgery

A Pilot Study to Assess Pain Control With Ketorolac and Nerve Block After Wrist and Hand Surgery

The purpose of this study is to learn about the effectiveness of different pain control options after hand and wrist surgery, specifically Ketorolac, Tylenol, and a regional nerve block. Ketorolac (Toradol) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is similar to ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil). Tylenol (acetaminophen) is a commonly used over the counter drug. A nerve block is pain medication that is applied directly to the nerves around the surgical site before the surgery and keeps working to reduce pain in the area for several hours after the surgery. All of these medicines and procedures are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patient care. This study aims to understand if using these medicines in combination helps patients having hand and wrist surgery avoid the need for opioid pain medications.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age 18 years or older
2. Undergoing upper extremity surgery performed by a hand and upper extremity orthopaedic surgeon at the University of Chicago.
3. Undergoing procedure with regional nerve block

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Age less than 18 years
2. Concomitant chronic opioid use
3. Postoperative opioid use (surgery through POD 14) for condition other than repaired fracture
4. Medical contraindication to ketorolac use, including pregnancy
5. Undergoing multiple concurrent surgical procedures
6. Unable to communicate numerical pain score