The Effect of Gabapentin on Postoperative Pain of Orthopedic Surgery of Lower Limb by Sciatic and Femoral Blockage in Children: A Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND: There are meta-analyzes in adults demonstrating the benefits of using gabapentin to improve postoperative pain in orthopedic surgeries. In pediatrics, it has never been studied. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of gabapentin 10 mg/kg, orally, in postoperative analgesia, hemodynamic stability and its pre/postoperative anxiolytic effect in children subjected to unilateral inferior limb surgery. METHODS: We performed a double-blinded, randomized study. 84 patients in Albert Sabin Children’s Hospital were selected for elective surgery that were divided into 2 groups: gabapentin group, who received gabapentin 1 to 2 hours before the procedure and the control group. Both groups were submitted to the same general anesthesia protocol with 0.125% bupivacaine femoral and sciatic block. Patients received scheduled dipyrone and morphine was used as the rescue analgesic up to 2/2 h. Postoperative pain was assessed using a scale appropriate for age (CRIES, CHIPPS or Wong-Baker face scale). We registered hemodynamic parameters, analgesic consumption and pre/postoperative anxiolytics. RESULTS: A decrease in pain intensity in the 4th and 8th postoperative hours was observed in gabapentin group, both groups had the same opioid consumption. Children in the gabapentin group had an odds ratio of 25.6 for preoperative sedation and gabapentin promoted reduction of postoperative agitation. During orotracheal intubation the gabapentin group exhibited attenuation of the hemodynamic response. CONCLUSIONS: Gabapentin was superior to placebo in reducing postoperative pain. Children who received gabapentin were more sedated in the operating room, less agitated in the postoperative period and the autonomic response to intubation was reduced.