Post-operative pain following lumbar spine fusion is frequently difficult to manage and can lead to increased doses of opiate pain medications to control pain. In this study, the use of subcutaneous local anesthesia will be studied to determine its efficacy at reducing post-operative pain following spinal fusion surgery.
For patients randomized to the experimental or to the placebo groups, two subcutaneous catheters will be tunneled under the skin with large hollow-bore needles along the entire length of the incision on either side prior to closure. These catheters will deliver study drug (0.25% Marcaine) directly into the incision. They will be affixed to the skin with steri-strips. The catheters will then be attached to a drug delivery pump at 2mL/hour and will be removed prior to discharge.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
11
Subcutaneous pain control with OnQ Subcutaneous Drug pump
Subcutaneous placement of OnQ drug pump with normal saline infusion
The University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona, United States
Pain control
A daily Visual Analog Score Pain scale (1-10) for pain severity, (1 least pain, 10 most pain) will be assessed and recorded daily by a blinded assessor.
Time frame: From post operative day 1 until patient discharge or 30 days, whichever comes first
Time to discharge
Number of hospital days from time when patient surgery is completed to discharge will be assessed
Time frame: from the day of hospital admission to the day of hospital discharge or 45 days, whichever comes first.
Total Milligrams of IV pain medication
Total milligrams of IV pain medications will be assessed
Time frame: from the first post-operative dose of IV pain medication until the last dose prior to discharge from the hospital or 45 days, whichever comes first
Total Doses of IV pain medication
Number of doses of IV pain medications will be assessed
Time frame: from the first post-operative dose of IV pain medication until the last dose prior to discharge from the hospital or 45 days, whichever comes first
Total Milligrams of oral pain medication
Total milligrams of oral pain medications will be assessed
Time frame: from the first post-operative dose of oral pain medication until the last dose prior to discharge from the hospital or 45 days, whichever comes first
Total Doses of oral pain medication
Total doses of oral pain medications will be assessed
Time frame: from the first post-operative dose of oral pain medication until the last dose prior to discharge from the hospital or 45 days, whichever comes first
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