The effectiveness of fentanyl and ketorolac in providing analgesia for day-case gynaecological procedures was evaluated in 55 healthy volunteers in a single blinded fashion. Fentanyl (1 mcg/kg iv) and ketorolac (30 mg im) were administered immediately following induction of anaesthesia. Anaesthesia was standardized with propofol, nitrous oxide and enflurane. Outcome variables assessed were pain, additional analgesic requirements, and incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting. All variables were recorded at 15 minutes, 2 hours and 24 hours postoperatively. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups with respect to any of the measured variables. Both drugs were ineffective as sole analgesic agents in half of their respective groups. It may be that a combination of these drugs, providing a multireceptor approach to analgesia, will prove to be more effective.