Efficacy of clindamycin in reducing pain following tonsillectomy in adults: a double-blind, randomised trial.

OBJECTIVE: Tonsillectomy is a common operation performed in children and young adults. Pain and post-operation haemorrhage are its most common complications. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of topical antibiotics in reducing throat pain after tonsillectomy in adult patients. METHODS: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial was conducted, enrolling 30 patients older than 18 years who were scheduled to undergo tonsillectomy. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either clindamycin or normal saline (as placebo). Throat pain severity was evaluated using a visual analogue scale. RESULTS: All patients in both groups had experienced a reduction in pain by the seventh day after surgery. There was no statistically significant difference in the extent of visual analogue scale pain score reduction, comparing the placebo and clindamycin groups throughout the study course (p = 0.424). CONCLUSION: Topical clindamycin was not demonstrated to be more effective than normal saline in the reduction of throat pain following tonsillectomy in adults.