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Effectiveness of gabapentin as a postoperative analgesic in children undergoing appendectomy

Katherine J Baxter1, Jennifer Hafling2, Jennifer Sterner2

  • 1Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1405 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.

Pediatric Surgery International
|May 6, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Gabapentin (GP) use in children undergoing appendectomy significantly reduced postoperative opioid requirements compared to no gabapentin (NG). Further prospective studies are needed to confirm clinical effectiveness.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Anesthesiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Gabapentin is increasingly utilized for perioperative analgesia.
  • Limited data exist on its effectiveness in pediatric populations.
  • Appendectomy is a common surgical procedure in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of gabapentin as a postoperative analgesic in children undergoing appendectomy.
  • To assess the impact of gabapentin on opioid consumption and pain management in pediatric appendectomy patients.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 87 children undergoing appendectomy over 12 months.
  • Patients receiving gabapentin (GP) were matched 1:2 with those not receiving gabapentin (NG).
  • Outcomes included postoperative opioid use, pain scores, and readmission rates.

Main Results:

  • The GP group required significantly less postoperative opioids (0.034 mg ME/kg) than the NG group (0.106 mg ME/kg).
  • Time to pain scores ≤3 was similar between groups (12.21 h for GP vs. 17.01 h for NG).
  • Revisit and readmission rates were comparable between the GP and NG groups.

Conclusions:

  • Gabapentin use in children with appendicitis is associated with reduced postoperative opioid consumption.
  • The findings suggest gabapentin may be a beneficial adjunct for pain management in pediatric appendectomy.
  • Further prospective studies are recommended to validate these findings and establish clinical effectiveness.
Abstract

Keywords:
Abdominal surgeryAnalgesicAppendectomyGabapentinOpioid epidemic

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