Efficacy of Double Drug Impregnated Autologous Coagulum Patch versus Single Drug Impregnated Autologous Coagulum Patch in Postoperative Pain Management after Spinal Surgery

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak are common known complications of spinal surgery, both having a synergistic effect on each other. Thus, both need to be dealt simultaneously. Double drug impregnated autologous coagulum patch (DDIAC) is a novel method which reduced both incidences of postoperative CSF leaks as well as pain. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-seven patients undergoing lumbar disc surgery without instrumentation were included and randomized into DDIAC and single drug impregnated autologous coagulum patch (SDIAC) group. The patients were assessed postoperatively with visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: There were 21 males and 6 females in the study. Seventeen (63%) patients got randomized for DDIAC patch application and other 10 (37%) patients entered the control arm group (SDIAC) patch use. Preoperative VAS was 5 in both the groups. The average postoperative VAS was 3.01 in DDIAC arm and 4.29 in control arm. The average analgesic shot required in the DDIAC group was 0.41 in 24 h and SDIAC group was 4.1 in 24 h. In DDIAC group, none of these patients had CSF leak from the surgical wound till discharge from the hospital. In the SDIAC group, one (10%, n = 10) patient had CSF leak. CONCLUSIONS: DDIAC patch was effective in controlling pain in the postoperative period; however, few patients may require analgesic shots for pain management. SDIAC patch may control some pain in the immediate postoperative period; however, this was not sufficient for a longer postoperative period.