Researchers compared two pain medications given through patient-controlled pumps after knee replacement surgery in elderly patients. The study involved 138 people with an average age of 71.5 years, most of whom were women. They received either Oliceridine or sufentanil for 48 hours after their operation.
The study found that Oliceridine worked as well as sufentanil for controlling pain during those first two days. Patients using Oliceridine experienced less nausea and vomiting—about 33% had nausea compared to 51% with sufentanil, and about 14% had vomiting compared to 35% with sufentanil.
It's important to note that this study only followed patients for 48 hours after surgery. The researchers did not report on serious side effects, breathing problems, or what happens beyond those first two days. While these early results are promising for managing pain with fewer stomach-related side effects, more research is needed to understand the full safety profile and longer-term outcomes.