Phenazopyridine does not improve catheter discomfort following gynecologic surgery.

Abstract

We sought to determine if phenazopyridine improves pain in catheterized patients recovering from gynecologic surgery. This trial randomized 240 adult women, who were undergoing gynecologic surgery and requiring an indwelling Foley catheter, to placebo or phenazopyridine hydrochloride. Group assignment was masked by instillation of orange dye in the Foley bag of both groups. The primary outcome was the mean postoperative visual analog score (VAS). Secondary outcomes were pain medicine utilization and blinding efficacy. In all, 219 patients received study medications (112 phenazopyridine and 107 placebo). There was no significant difference in demographics, procedure type, bladder VAS, overall VAS, and pain medication use. Only 25 of the 45 participants who responded guessed their group assignment correctly, suggesting adequate blinding. Postoperative VAS scores and pain medicine usage did not change with using routine phenazopyridine following gynecology surgery. Colored dye adequately masks visual side effects of phenazopyridine.