Aim: To compare the efficacy of butorphanol and tramadol in mitigating postoperative pain as rescue analgesia while observing its effect on hemodynamic stability. Setting and Design: This prospective, doubleblinded randomized controlled study was conducted at the postoperative recovery area. Materials and Methods: Hundred patients of 18–60 years of age, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Class I and II of both sex who underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy, were enrolled in this study after approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups (50 patients each); Group B received injection butorphanol 1 mg and Group T received injection tramadol 100 mg intravenously in the postoperative recovery room when patient complains of pain and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) more than 4. Parameters assessed were pain intensity by Visual analog score at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60 minutes, relief of pain is described as VAS less than 4 after 30 minutes, sedation score after 30 minutes and side-effects. Statistical Analysis Used: Student’s t-test and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Pain intensity was also significantly low with butorphanol than tramadol upto 40 minutes. Relief of pain is 100% with injection butorphanol. More patients were found to be alert in tramadol group as compared
with butorphanol. Conclusions: Intravenous butorphanol (1 mg) provides superior pain relief than intravenous tramadol (100 mg) when used as rescue analgesia for postoperative pain with lesser incidence of nausea and vomiting.