Arthroscopic irrigation solution and method for inhibition of pain and inflammation

Abstract

A method and solution for perioperatively inhibiting a variety of pain and inflammation processes resulting from arthroscopic surgery at a joint. The solution preferably includes multiple pain and inflammation inhibitory agents in a physiologic carrier, such as saline or lactated Ringer's solution. The solution is introduced luminally to continuously irrigate an operative site during an arthroscopic procedure for preemptive inhibition of pain and inflammation while avoiding undesirable side effects associated with oral, intramuscular, subcutaneous or intravenous application of larger doses of the agents. One preferred solution to inhibit pain and inflammation includes a serotonin.sub.2 antagonist, a serotonin.sub.3 antagonist, a histamine antagonist, a serotonin agonist, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, a neurokinin.sub.1 antagonist, a neurokinin.sub.2 antagonist, a purinoceptor antagonist, an ATP-sensitive potassium channel opener, a calcium channel antagonist, a bradykinin.sub.1 antagonist, a bradykinin.sub.2 antagonist and a .mu.-opioid agonist.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.