A Prospective Randomized Comparative Study to Evaluate Efficacy, Tolerability, and Cost-effectiveness of Transdermal Diclofenac and Ketoprofen Patches for Postoperative Analgesia in Upper Limb Fracture Fixation Surgeries in a Tertiary Care Hospital

IntroductIonPostoperative pain is a common complication, affecting about 80% of surgical patients, with >75% experiencing moderate to severe pain.However, fewer than half report being satisfied with their pain relief, often requiring prolonged treatment. 1Effective pain management is a major public health issue, particularly af ter or thopedic surgeries.For upper limb or thopedic procedures that involve bone and soft tissue, insufficient pain control can slow recovery, lengthen hospital stays, increase readmissions, and negatively impact socioeconomic and quality-of-life outcomes. 2 multimodal analgesic approach is recommended because it targets multiple pain pathways. 3Opioids act centrally, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroids reduce inflammation, local anesthetics block nociceptors, and drugs like ketamine, clonidine, dexmedetomidine, gabapentin, and pregabalin modulate neurotransmission. 3Among these, NSAIDs are commonly used for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. 4They can be administered through oral, injectable, sublingual, and transdermal routes.