Acetaminophen/Codeine vs Acetaminophen/Ibuprofen for Pain Control and Patient Satisfaction After Hand Surgery

Primary Objective:

To establish, through a randomized control trial, whether post-operative Acetaminophen and
Ibuprofen (non-opioid regimen) would provide equivalent post-operative analgesia to
ambulatory hand surgery patients compared to Acetaminophen and Codeine (opioid regimen).

Secondary Objective:

To establish whether the opioid versus non-opioid post-operative pain regimen influences
patient satisfaction.

Sixty-three patients enrolled for each group (non-opioid and opioid). Approximately 145
patients will be required to achieve complete data for 63 patients in each group (assuming
15% lost to follow-up & failure to comply with study protocol).

Inclusion Criteria:

- Patients undergoing ambulatory hand surgery for carpal tunnel and trigger finger,
under local anesthesia with or without sedation.

Exclusion Criteria:

- ASA> 3;

- Coagulopathy;

- Renal disease,

- Liver disease,

- History of recent gastro-intestinal bleeding

- Pregnancy.

- Diagnosis of chronic pain currently taking opioid pain medication or with a history of
drug abuse.

- Patients with a self-described allergy to ASA, acetaminophen, NSAIDS and codeine.

- All patients receiving a brachial plexus block for anesthesia and/or analgesia