TABLE 3.

Postoperative analgesia consumption in three groups (48 h after surgery)

	Control (n = 30)	PN‐Dex (n = 31)	i.v.‐Dex (n = 30)	p Value
				p a	p b	p c
Sum of pressing numbers	31.2 ± 2.2	21.9 ± 3.1*	22.3 ± 3.6 #	<0.01	<0.01	0.27
Total amount of sufentanil (μg)	91.2 ± 6.8	68.4 ± 8.9*	65.3 ± 7.5 #	<0.01	<0.01	0.13
Numbers of rescue analgesia (%)	8 (26.7)	1 (3.2)*	2 (6.7)	0.03	0.08	0.61

Note: p ^a, PN‐Dex group vs. control group; p ^b, i.v.‐Dex group vs. control group; p ^c, PN‐Dex group vs. i.v.‐Dex group.

Abbreviations: Dex, dexamethasone; PN, perineural.

^*The comparison between the PN‐Dex group and control group was statistically significant (p < 0.05).

^# The comparison between i.v.‐Dex group and control group is statistically significant (p < 0.05).