Comparative Analysis of Transdermal vs. Intravenous NSAID Efficacy in Rib Fracture Pain Management

Background and Aim: Rib fractures are among the most prevalent injuries seen in trauma cases, significantly elevating the risk of both mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to evaluate how effective transdermal NSAID administration is for pain relief in patients with rib fractures, while also comparing its effectiveness to that of intravenous NSAID administration. Material and Methods: This study prospectively compares 80 subjects with rib fractures who sought treatment at the Emergency Medicine Department of a tertiary care institute in Gujarat over the course of one year. The study group received transdermal NSAIDs, while the control group was given intravenous NSAIDs. Results: In this study involving 80 participants, the gender distribution revealed that 13 were female while 67 were male. The mean VAS score recorded on day 1 for Group A was 8.5, while Group B reported a score of 7.4. The variation in mean VAS score on Day 1 between the two groups was found to be statistically significant. The average VAS score recorded on day 3 was 3.5 for both groups involved in the study. The variation in mean VAS score on Day 3 between the two groups did not reach statistical significance. (p>0.05) Conclusion: The use of transdermal NSAIDs has proven to be an effective method for managing pain in patients with rib fractures. The analgesic effect of transdermal NSAID administration shows a delayed onset, as indicated by elevated VAS readings on day 1. However, by day 3, its effectiveness aligns with that of intravenous NSAID administration, as reflected in the VAS readings.