Immediate use of celecoxib after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was found to be linked with significant reductions in VAS pain scores and also improves the quality of sleep and active knee flexion angles, as deciphered from the outcomes of a randomized controlled trial in ‘The Journal of Arthroplasty’.

The study researchers assumed that early use of celecoxib post-surgery would decrease pain scores and improve sleep quality along with active ROM (range of motion) following arthroplasty under general anesthesia.

Celecoxib group patients were given celecoxib 400 mg 2 hours following TKA, followed 6 hours later by celecoxib 200mg. Control group patients were given celecoxib 400 mg on the next day of surgery. Patient-reported VAS pain scores the next day after TKA was regarded as the primary outcome. Quality of sleep at days 1, 2, and 7 after the surgery was a secondary outcome. In both groups, the total intake of fentanyl was evaluated.

Celecoxib group revealed significantly lesser median VAS pain scores on days 1 and 2 after surgery. Considerably less nocturnal wakening (in minutes) and incidence of body motion, and improved sleep efficiency on day 1 after surgery as compared to controls were also found. On days 2 and 7 of TKA, the celecoxib group depicted a considerably better median flexion angle (degrees) and lesser fentanyl intake.