The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Epidural fentanyl for postoperative analgesia after lumbar canal decompression: a randomized controlled trial.
Postoperative back pain is common after decompression surgery for lumbar stenosis and often delays discharge from hospital. Achieving regional analgesia by intraoperative delivery of epidural opiates after lumbar canal decompression is a promising approach to reduce postoperative pain and enhance early mobilization. However, there have been concerns about opiate-related complications, such as respiratory depression and urinary retention in what is generally an elderly population of patients. ⋯ Bolus epidural fentanyl provides effective short-term postoperative analgesia after lumbar canal decompression and may be a useful adjunct to pain management in patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery.