Comparison of Tramacet Versus Percocet in Post Surgical Patients

Patient operating lists will be screened on a daily basis at identify potential patient candidates. The surgeon of note will be consulted to ensure that each patient, in their opinion, may be a candidate. If approved by the surgeon of note, the patient will then be approached in the preoperative area by a member of the research team to determine if they will consent to enrollment in the study.

Patients will be double blinded and randomized following low to moderate pain surgery (surgery in which patients do not generally require a patient controlled analgesic pump post-operatively, or require post operative analgesia beyond 14 days) to receive either tramacet 1-2 tablets orally every 4 hours prn or percocet 1-2 tablets orally every 4 prn. At time of discharge patients will recieve unidentifiable tablets in an unidentifying container of the usual dispense amount that their surgeon would standardly prescribe(range is usually between 30 and 60 tabs).

At 6 weeks patients will receive a phone call to determine a) brief pain inventory score for the month. B) if they sought a second opioid prescription. C) if they plan to seek a second script. E) satisfaction of post operative pain control on a 1-10 numerical scale f) any adverse side effects.

Inclusion criteria

age 18-65

opioid naïve

postoperative from mild to moderate pain risk surgery (surgery in which patients do not generally require a patient controlled Analgesic pump post-operatively, or require post operative analgesia beyond 14 days)

Exclusion criteria

Patients on Opioids

Children < 18 years

Elderly

Pregnancy

Language barrier

Past medical history of psychosis

Coexisting use of anti-depressants

American Society of Anesthesia Risk Score >3

Known allergy to opioid or acetaminophen