Objective To evaluate the efficacy of oxycodone for patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) after hip arthroplasty in elderly patients.Methods Sixty patients of both sexes,aged 65-85yr,weighing 42-89 kg,of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ or]Ⅱ,scheduled for elective unilateral hip arthroplasty under general anesthesia,were divided into 2 groups (n =30 each) using a random number table:morphine group (group M) and oxycodone group (group O).Parecoxib sodium 40 mg was injected intravenously at 30 min before induction of anesthesia,followed by induction and maintenance of anesthesia.PCIA pump was connected at the beginning of skin closure.PCIA solution contained morphine 0.6 mg/kg and tropisetron 10 mg diluted to 100 ml in normal saline in group M and oxycodone 0.6 mg/kg and tropisetron 10 mg diluted to 100 ml in normal saline in group O.The PCA pump was set up with a background infusion at 2 ml/h,a 0.5 ml bolus dose and a 15 min lockout interval in both groups.Visual analogue scale score was maintained ≤ 3,and postoperative analgesia lasted until 48 h after operation.When analogue scale score ≥ 4,pethidine 50 mg/kg was injected muscularly as rescue analgesic.The requirement for rescue analgesic and occurrence of adverse effects were recorded.Results Ten percent patients required rescue analgesics in group M,and no patients required rescue analgesics in group O.Compared with group M,the requirement for rescue analgesics and incidence of nausea,vomiting and pruritus were significantly decreased in group O (P＜0.05).Conclusion Oxycodone provides reliable efficacy for PCIA after hip arthroplasty in elderly patients with fewer adverse effects,indicating that oxycodone produces good analgesic efficacy for severe somatalgia.