Assessment of efficacy of diclofenac sodium in oral and transdermal patch in the management of postoperative pain following surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars

Background: Pain is one of the most commonly experienced symptoms in surgery and as such is a major concern to the surgeon. The present study was conducted to assess analgesic efficacy of diclofenac sodium in oral and transdermal patch in the management of postoperative pain following surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars. Materials & Methods: 80 patients with bilateral impactions of mandibular third molar of both genders were divided into 2 groups of 40 each. In group I, patients received diclofenac sodium 100 mg once a day for 3 days on one side and in group II, diclofenac sodium transdermal patch 100 mg once a day for 3 days on second side. The postoperative pain was recorded on visual analog scale (VAS) at 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours postoperatively. Results: Out of 80 patients, males were 35 and females were 45. VAS on day 1 in group I and II at 2 hours was 4.6 and 5.3, at 4 hours was 4.3 and 4.7, at 8 hours was 3.2 and 4.1, at 12 hours was 2.7 and 4.0 and at 24 hours was 2.4 and 3.2 respectively