Postoperative pain after spinal surgery in the paediatric population

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Pain Management
• Clinical Laboratory Science

Background:

• Postoperative pain is a significant complication, particularly after extensive spinal surgeries.
• Identifying predictive factors for severe pain is crucial for effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate laboratory predictive factors for intensive postoperative pain in children undergoing extensive spine surgery.
• To correlate specific laboratory values with pain intensity post-surgery.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 41 children (median age 13 years) undergoing extensive spine surgery.
• Classified patients into study (pain score ≥5) and control (pain score <5) groups based on pain scales (NRS, VAS, FPS-R).
• Collected pre-, intra-, and post-operative clinical and laboratory data.

Main Results:

• Intensive postoperative pain correlated with a significant drop in hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.
• Higher fluctuations in mean arterial pressure during surgery were associated with increased pain.
• Elevated total protein concentration post-surgery was observed in children with intensive pain.

Conclusions:

• Drop in hemoglobin and hematocrit, mean arterial pressure fluctuations, and total protein levels are potential prognostic factors for early postoperative pain.
• These laboratory markers can aid in predicting and managing severe pain after extensive spine surgery in pediatric patients.