No abstract

Background/Aims: A hysterosalpingogram is an integral part of the evaluation of infertility, however, it is often painful. Methods: We conducted a randomized double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of intravenous infusion of remifentanil in women undergoing hysterosalpingography (HSG). We randomly allocated 62 patients scheduled for HSG to receive either a continuous infusion of 0.25 µg·kg^–1 of remifentanil or placebo. The degree of pain was documented via 10-cm visual analog scales (VAS). Patients’ discomfort, side effects and recovery times were also recorded. Results: The VAS scores during HSG were 1.25 ± 1.31 in the remifentanil group and 4.78 ± 1.7 in the placebo group (p < 0.001). There were more patients in the remifentanil group that rated their condition as excellent (p < 0.001). The groups did not differ with regard to the incidence of side effects. The recovery times were found statistically longer in the remifentanil group (14 ± 5 vs. 10 ± 3 min). All the patients were discharged 30 min after the procedures without any side effects. Conclusion: Remifentanil infusion during HSG is superior to placebo for relief of pain with minimal opioid side effects.