The effect of meperidine-impregnated autogenous free fat grafts on postoperative pain management in lumbar disc surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical study.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of meperidine-impregnated autogenous free fat grafts (AFFGs) on postoperative pain management after 1-level, first-time lumbar disc surgery.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Uncontrolled postoperative pain impedes patient recovery. Insufficient control of postoperative pain makes it difficult to convince new patients to undergo the lumbar disc surgery.

METHODS

Twenty-seven patients scheduled to undergo lumbar microdiscectomy for the first time were divided into 2 groups by a randomized double-blind method. Group 1 patients received a meperidine-impregnated AFFG in the epidural area. Group 2 received the graft without meperidine impregnation. Both groups were asked to use a Patient Controlled Analgesia device to deliver tramadol, and at 1, 4, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively, the amounts of tramadol used and pain severity on the 10-cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were recorded.

RESULTS

The VAS scores and total tramadol use were both lower in group 1 compared with the control group (P<0.05). The first hour of VAS scores were significantly lower in group 1 than in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we helped patients, who underwent 1-level, first-time lumbar microdiscectomy have a postoperative pain-free and comfortable period by using epidural meperidine-impregnated AFFGs.