Gabapentin Premedication for Pediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Randomized Control Trial

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury and surgical repair occurs in 200,000 active adolescent and young adult patients each year. ACL repair is associated with significant postoperative pain. Current methodologies for pain include regional nerve blocks, opioid or non-steroidal analgesia. Few studies have evaluated use of neuro-inhibitors such as gabapentin to limit pain response.

The purpose of this study then is to examine the use of gabapentin in reducing postoperative pain in adolescent ACL patients. The investigators hypothesize one 15mg/kg (up to 600mg) dose of gabapentin preoperatively would reduce: 1) self-reported postoperative pain and, 2) opioid use compared to patients who do not receive preoperative gabapentin.

This double blind randomized control trial will enroll 100 participants ages 12-18 years, undergoing ACL repair. Participants receive gabapentin or placebo preoperatively. Outcome measurements of self-reported pain score using scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the worse obtained from the EMR and participant interviews with a phone nurse for five days postoperatively to determine severity of pain as well as use of opioids.

Outcome measurements will give a more comprehensive description of the postoperative experience and test gabapentin's opioid sparing effect. Due to paucity of literature on pain relief in this population, this pilot study will inform a larger multi-site study.