Comparison of Systemic Opioid (Morphine) and Pre-Incision Bilateral Scalp Nerve Block for Pain Management in Craniotomy Patients

Summary

The goal of this randomized controlled clinical trial is to compare the effectiveness of systemic opioids versus pre-incision bilateral scalp nerve block in managing intraoperative noxious stimuli and postoperative pain in adult patients (18-75 years) undergoing elective supratentorial craniotomy. The main questions this study aims to answer are: Does pre-incision bilateral scalp nerve block provide better intraoperative hemodynamic stability compared to systemic opioids? Does it result in lower postoperative pain scores and reduced opioid consumption during the first 24 hours after surgery? Researchers will compare Group M (systemic morphine) with Group S (bilateral scalp nerve block) to see if the scalp nerve block offers superior analgesia and fewer opioid-related side effects. Participants will: Be randomly assigned to receive either systemic morphine or bilateral scalp nerve block before incision. Undergo standard general anesthesia for craniotomy. Have postoperative pain managed using a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) morphine pump and be monitored for 24 hours for pain, sedation, and nausea/vomiting scores

Timeline

Start

2025-01-01

Primary completion

2025-07-01

Completion

2025-09-30

Publications

• Background Dilmen OK, Akcil EF, Tunali Y, Karabulut ES, Bahar M, Altindas F, Vehid H, Yentur E. Postoperative analgesia for supratentorial craniotomy. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2016 Jul;146:90-5. doi: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2016.04.026. Epub 2016 May 4.
• Background Jayaram K, Srilata M, Kulkarni D, Ramachandran G. Regional Anesthesia to Scalp for Craniotomy: Innovation With Innervation. J Neurosurg Anesthesiol. 2016 Jan;28(1):32-7. doi: 10.1097/ANA.0000000000000184.
• Background Tuchinda, Lawan & Somboonviboon, Wanna & Supbornsug, Kaew & Worathongchai, Sukhumakorn & Limutaitip, Supodjanee. (2010). Bupivacaine scalp nerve block: Hemodynamic response during craniotomy, intraoperative and post-operative analgesia. Asian Biomedicine. 4. 10.2478/abm-2010-0031.
• Background Nguyen A, Girard F, Boudreault D, Fugere F, Ruel M, Moumdjian R, Bouthilier A, Caron JL, Bojanowski MW, Girard DC. Scalp nerve blocks decrease the severity of pain after craniotomy. Anesth Analg. 2001 Nov;93(5):1272-6. doi: 10.1097/00000539-200111000-00048.
• Background Ayoub C, Girard F, Boudreault D, Chouinard P, Ruel M, Moumdjian R. A comparison between scalp nerve block and morphine for transitional analgesia after remifentanil-based anesthesia in neurosurgery. Anesth Analg. 2006 Nov;103(5):1237-40. doi: 10.1213/01.ane.0000244319.51957.9f.

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