Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are powerful analgesics and can provide an important mode of pain management after surgery (see Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) – are we using them enough?).
There has been concern, however, that NSAIDs may interfere with healing of tendon repair to bone as in rotator cuff repair or subscapularis repair after shoulder arthroplasty (see Do anti inflammatory medications interfere with healing? and Should patients take anti-inflammatory medications after rotator cuff repair?)
Selective COX-2 inhibitors are a type of NSAIDs, and they reduce the risk for peptic ulceration. Non-selective NSAIDs can cause this problem. COX-2 Inhibitors have been shown to increase the risk for heart attacks and strokes in clinical trials. Due to this, the majority of COX-2 inhibiters have been taken off the market. Only Celebrex (generic named celecoxib), is still available in the United States.
In addition to concerns about heart attacks and strokes, there is a particular concern about the effect of selective COX-2 inhibitors, such as Celebrex, on tendon healing (see Does Celebrex interfere with tendon healing?).
The authors of Non-selective NSAIDs do…
