Post-operative Epidural Analgesia After Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression and Fusion
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2011-07-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Minimally invasive (MIS) lumbar decompression and fusion is a new procedure that aims to
reduce post-operative pain, opioid consumption and related side effects, and length of
hospital stay. Current research demonstrates a modest improvement in these areas beginning on
the third post-operative day. MIS fusion, however, incurs significant cost as the average
time of the procedure is approximately one third greater (from 148 minutes to 191 on
average). Epidural analgesia has clearly demonstrated benefits for conventional open
laminectomy. In order to fully maximize the benefits of an MIS technique, early
post-operative analgesia/pain must be improved. The aim of this study is to combine two
techniques to ultimately improve patient outcomes and satisfaction. This will be a randomized
trial involving 32 patients undergoing MIS decompression and fusion with half the study group
receiving active epidural and IV-PCA and the other half receiving epidural placebo and
IV-PCA.
The hypothesis is that epidural analgesia will reduce post-operative opioid consumption,
improve pain scores, and decrease time to ambulation as well as discharge from hospital after
MIS decompression and fusion.