The Effect of Intravenous Dexamethasone on Intraoperative and Early Postoperative Pain in Lumbar Spine Surgery: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study

BACKGROUND: The surgical procedures of spine are generally associated with intense pain in the postoperative period. Opioids are commonly used for perioperative analgesia but are associated with many side effects. Co-analgesic drugs are used to decrease these side effects. One such supplemental drug is dexamethasone. Its strong anti-inflammatory effect contributes to perioperative analgesia. AIM: This study was done to evaluate the effect of intravenous (i.v.) dexamethasone on intraoperative and early postoperative pain in lumbar spine surgery. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was a hospital-based randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, done between June 2016 and December 2016 after permission of institutional ethical committee. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This Study was conducted on 60 patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery, and randomization was done in two groups. Group A (study) received dexamethasone 2 ml (8 mg) i.v. and Group B (control) received 2 ml normal saline. Anesthesia technique and rescue analgesia regimen were standardized. Intraoperative pain was assessed by hemodynamic variability and postoperative pain by verbal rating score. All the quantitative data were analyzed using Student's t-test and all the qualitative data using Chi-square test. RESULTS: Heart rate in the control group was significantly higher than the study group during intraoperative period. Mean pain scores in the early postoperative period were significantly higher in control group than the study group (P < 0.001). Mean time of first rescue analgesic in the postoperative period was 149.17 min and 34.33 min in the study group and control group, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Hence, we conclude that administration of 8 mg of preoperative i.v dexamethasone was effective in reducing intraoperative and early postoperative pain in the lumbar spine surgery.