Effects of Two Different Preoperative Doses of Pregabalin on Postoperative Pain After Lumbar Disc Herniation Surgery

Postoperative pain is a common and significant complication, and there are several ways to control it. In recent years, there has been a growing tendency to use pregabalin to control pain.

This study aimed to compare the effects of two different doses of pregabalin on postoperative pain after lumbar disc herniation surgery.

This clinical trial study was performed on 90 patients undergoing elective herniated disc surgery in Khatam Al-Anbia Hospital of Zahedan, Iran, using random sampling. The patients were divided into three groups, including those receiving high dose pregabalin (150 mg), low dose pregabalin (75 mg), and placebo. The three groups were compared regarding postoperative pain, the received dose of analgesic, and the severity of side effects. The data were analyzed based on the Chi-square test and oneway analysis of variance using SPSS software (version 18).

In this study, the mean age of the patients was 43.9±6.7 years. The mean postoperative pain was significantly lower in both pregabalin groups than the placebo group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the mean postoperative pain in the high-dose pregabalin group was less than that of the low-dose group; however, the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Analgesics were needed for 8 patients (26.7%) of the low-dose pregabalin group. Furthermore, 7 patients (23.3%) of the high-dose pregabalin group and 16 patients (53.3%) of the placebo group also needed analgesics (P = 0.028). Additionally, 5 (16.7%), 8 (26.7%), and 4 (13.3%) patients in the low-dose pregabalin group, high-dose pregabalin group, and placebo group complained of side effects (P = 0.390).

The present study showed that pregabalin significantly reduces postoperative pain and the required dose of analgesia. On the other hand, pregabalin complications are minor and can be neglected.