Intravenous Ketorolac Administration to Attenuate Post-procedural Pain Associated With Intrauterine Device Placement: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background and Significance: IUDs are safe, effective, and reversible forms of contraception. They are available in two forms in the United States: non-hormonal (copper) and levonorgestrel hormonal devices. There are very few contraindications to placement and few associated side effects. Despite these facts, only 14% of women aged 15-44 currently use an IUD1. Data over recent years show an increase in IUD usage among younger women, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) support use in adolescent patients, many of which seek care from pediatric providers2. IUDs are easy to place and remove, with most procedures occurring in the office setting.

One barrier to more widespread use of IUDs may be the perception of pain associated with insertion, especially among younger patients. One study of 100 nulligravid women reported a 78% incidence of "moderate" or "severe" pain with IUD placement3. Several studies have evaluated various methods to attenuate the pain and anxiety associated with IUD placement, including behavioral interventions4, topical and injectable lidocaine applied to the cervix5,6, and injectable medications7. The ACOG currently recommends taking over-the-counter pain medications prior to IUD placement, though no specific medications are mentioned. Some adolescent patients require procedural sedation due to perceived pain, previous unsuccessful office procedures, developmental delay, and chronic pelvic pain, among other indications.

Ketorolac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), available in oral and injectable forms. It is used for moderately severe pain, often after an operation or painful procedure. Time to onset of analgesia with injectable ketorolac (IV or IM) is approximately 30 minutes, with maximum effect at 1-2 hours, and a median duration of 6 hours. Ketorolac, given orally or as an intramuscular injection (IM), has been shown to effectively attenuate the pain associated with in-office placement of IUDs7,8. We hypothesize that the administration of IV ketorolac, given during sedation for IUD placement, will lead to a decrease in post-procedural pain.

Project Design and Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will test the stated hypotheses associated with the specific aims above. All patients undergoing IUD placement under sedation, provided by the pediatric critical care sedation service at Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH), will be eligible for enrollment. Patients meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria (see below) will be randomized to ketorolac or placebo after providing informed consent/assent. IUD placement will be performed by the pediatric gynecology service at ACH, using one of two levonorgestrel devices (Kyleena or Mirena). In addition to the study drug, propofol will be used for sedation. All subjects will be sedated with propofol in the following manner: 1mg/kg IV loading dose (10mg additional doses to achieve sedation), followed by a 150mcg/kg/min infusion rate during the procedure. Additional 10mg boluses will be given at the discretion of the seditionist (Pediatric Critical Care Medicine or Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician) and will be recorded for comparison as a secondary outcome measure.

Study Drug and Randomization Procedure: All eligible subjects will be randomized to ketorolac or placebo using simple randomization. A randomization schedule will be constructed using a random number generator. The study pharmacist will dispense ketorolac or placebo based on the randomization schedule. All study investigators and clinical staff will be blinded to group assignment. Ketorolac and placebo will be dispensed in identical syringes in identical volumes. Study drug will be administered intravenously by the sedation nurse at least 30 minutes prior to the start of sedation for IUD placement.