Background: Pain following pediatric adenotonsillectomy is prevalent, frequently severe, and often inadequately managed. The effectiveness of propofol or sevoflurane anesthesia in acute postoperative pain management is unknown.
Methods: We conducted a single-blind, randomized controlled trial to examine the postoperative analgesic effectiveness of propofol or sevoflurane anesthesia. 144 children aged 2-7 years were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either propofol or sevoflurane anesthesia, with 142 completing the study. The primary outcome was the proportion of acute postoperative pain measured by the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability (FLACC) scale scores > 3 within 24 h between the two groups. Secondary outcomes included postoperative pain assessed by the parent's postoperative pain measure (PPPM) scale and numeric rating scale (NRS) on the 1, 2, 3, 7, and 14 postoperative days, as well as perioperative adverse events.
Results: The incidence of acute pain FLACC > 3 within 24 h showed comparable results between both groups (30 of 71 [42.3%] vs. 34 of 71 [47.9%]; odds ratio [OR] = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.28, 2.18]; p = 0.500). The propofol group demonstrated higher pain scores on postoperative days 2-3, with between-group median differences (ΔNRS at activity = 1, ΔPPPM = 1) below minimal clinically important difference thresholds (ΔNRS > 1, ΔPPPM > 3).
Conclusions: The incidence and intensity of acute postoperative pain in the first 24 h after adenotonsillectomy did not differ significantly between pediatric patients who received maintenance anesthesia with propofol or with sevoflurane. The two general anesthesia techniques exhibited comparable clinical efficacy with respect to pain prognosis within 2 weeks.
Trial registration: The Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2300075847, Date of registration: September 3, 2023).
Keywords: acute postoperative pain; adenotonsillectomy; pediatric anesthesia; propofol; sevoflurane.
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