Pentazocine Suppositories for Post-Operative Pain: Intramuscular Pentazocine Injections versus Suppositories in a Controlled Trial in 588 Patients

A between-patient comparison of the analgesic effect of pentazocine 50 mg by suppository and 30-45 mg by intramuscular injection was made in 558 post-operative patients, 54% within 24 hours of operation. The suppositories proved acceptable overall, even though effectiveness was less at half an hour after administration (particularly in those patients with severe initial pain) and there was greater need for further analgesia at One hour. The cost of treatment with suppositories is less than with injections. After the suppositories there were half as many patients asleep at one hour than after injections, and fewer possible side-effects (7 compared to 24).