The Effect of Gabapentin on Postoperative Pain, Morphine Sparing Effect and Preoperative Anxiety in Patients Going for Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgical Procedure.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effectiveness of preoperative administration of gabapentin in reduction of acute postoperative pain, morphine consumption and preoperative anxiety and sedation in obese patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

STUDY DESIGN

Double-blinded randomised control trial.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY

King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 2014 to January 2017.

METHODOLOGY

Fifty patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy were enrolled in the study. The subjects received either 1200 mg gabapentin or placebo 2 hours before surgery. The amount of morphine consumption and postoperative pain at 4, 8,12,16, 20 and 24 hours of surgery were measured. Preoperative anxiety and sedation were recorded at 2 hours interval after the drug administration.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in patient characteristics in both groups. 24 hours PCA morphine consumption was significantly lower in gabapentin group than in the placebo group, 15.08±4.55 vs. 27.80±2.51 (p=0.001). Preoperative VAS anxiety, pre- verses post-drug, was significantly lower in gabapentin group 5.80±1.11 vs. 3.52±1.00 (p=0.001) than in placebo group 6.08 1.28 vs. 6.28 1.24 (p=0.635). Preoperative sedation score was not different in both groups.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative oral gabapentin was effective in reducing the postoperative pain, morphine consumption and preoperative anxiety in morbid obese patients undergone laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.