The efficacy of oral celecoxib for acute postoperative pain in face-lift surgery.

[IMPORTANCE] Exploring methods of potentially improving patient comfort and pain control in cosmetic facial surgery.

[OBJECTIVE] To examine the effects of celecoxib in reducing pain and possible opioid consumption following face-lift surgery.

[DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS] We reviewed the medical records of 100 patients: 50 consecutive patients who underwent a face-lift without receiving perioperative celecoxib and 50 patients who underwent face-lift and received immediate preoperative and standing postoperative celecoxib.

[MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES] In addition to demographic information, the following outcome measures were recorded for each group: visual analog scale patient-reported pain, acetaminophen and/or opioid consumption rates, and related analgesic adverse effects.

[RESULTS] The participants in the noncelecoxib vs celecoxib groups had similar demographic characteristics: mean age, 59.6 vs 57.9 years; mean BMI, 23.3 vs 22.3; history of chronic pain or opioid use, 7 (14%) vs 6 (12%); and 94% of both groups were women. Postoperative pain scores were higher in the noncelecoxib vs celecoxib groups; mean (SD) overall pain score was 3.88 (2.20) vs 2.31 (2.36) (P < .001). The noncelecoxib group had a higher number of postoperative opioid doses than did the celecoxib group: 9.40 (4.30) vs 5.18 (4.58) (P < .05). The noncelecoxib group had a higher incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting: 12 (24%) vs 0 in the celecoxib group.

[CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE] Preemptive treatment with oral celecoxib appears to be effective in decreasing acute postoperative pain and opioid consumption in patients undergoing face-lift. Given the well-documented adverse effects of opioids, celecoxib is a desirable alternative.

[LEVEL OF EVIDENCE] 3.