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Epidural PCA on Pain Relief After L-spine Surgery

Completed
Conditions
Lumbar Spine Degeneration
Pain, Postoperative
Epidural Anesthesia
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled
Interventions
Procedure: Epidural patient-controlled analgesia
Procedure: Standard postoperative pain management
Registration Number
NCT06316921
Lead Sponsor
Taipei City Hospital
Brief Summary

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of epidural patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) on postoperative pain relief after lumbar spine surgeries. The eligible patients received two types of postoperative pain management: PCA and standard pain treatment. Comparisons between the two groups were made in terms of postoperative pain level.

Detailed Description

This study included patients who underwent lumbar spine surgeries for degenerative spinal disease. The eligible patients were divided into two groups, the PCA group and the control group, for two types of postoperative pain management. The patients in the PCA group received 72-hour epidural PCA. The PCA catheter was inserted by the surgeon prior to wound closure in the lumbar spine surgery. The PCA catheter was maintained until 72 hours after the surgery and was removed at the postoperative day 4. The control group received postoperative standard pain treatment, including oral acetaminophen and muscle relaxants. No non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were given in this study. All patients were provided the option to request intramuscular morphine injection (0.5 mg of morphine) for additional pain control, with a minimum interval of 6 hours between doses. Pain assessment was conducted using a visual analogue scale on the first four postoperative days and on the day of discharge. At the postoperative day 4, pain assessment was performed before the PCA removal. The level of pain and the number of morphine injections were compared between the two groups.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
209
Inclusion Criteria
  1. Age greater than 60 years
  2. Having lumbar spine surgeries for degenerative spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, herniated intervertebral disc, or osteoporotic spinal fracture with spinal stenosis
Exclusion Criteria
  1. Spinal infection (e.g., tuberculosis, epidural abscess, and vertebral body osteomyelitis
  2. Iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid leakage or dura tear during surgery
  3. Spinal tumor or spinal metastasis
  4. Having minimally invasive procedures with the bilateral paramedian approach

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
PCA groupEpidural patient-controlled analgesiaPatients received epidural patient-controlled analgesia for postoperative pain.
Control groupStandard postoperative pain managementPatients received standard of care for postoperative pain.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Pain degreePostoperative day 1, postoperative day 2, postoperative day 3, postoperative day 4, and the day of discharge (up to 1 month)

Pain degree was assessed using a visual analogue scale the on the first four postoperative days and on the day of discharge.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
The number of morphine injectionsThe day of discharge (up to 1 month)

The number of intramuscular morphine injections for additional pain control with a minimum interval of 6 hours between doses.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Taipei City Hospital

🇨🇳

Taipei, Taiwan

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