Anesthesiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Quality of postoperative pain using an intraoperatively placed epidural catheter after major lumbar spinal surgery.
Major spinal surgery is associated with high postoperative pain scores and opioid requirement. The aim of the current prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study was to assess the reduction of opioid requirement and pain scores using an intraoperatively placed epidural catheter with infusion of 0.1% ropivacaine during the postoperative period. ⋯ Continuous epidural infusion of 0.1% ropivacaine results in lower pain scores and opioid consumption and higher patient satisfaction when compared with placebo. Application of ropivacaine using an epidural catheter seems to be a highly effective treatment for postoperative pain after major lumbar spinal surgery.