Effect of Opioid-Sparing Anesthesia on Postoperative Opioid Consumption and Pain in Elderly Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if an anesthesia management strategy called opioid-sparing anesthesia could help reduce postoperative opioid consumption, pain intensity and enhance recovery in elderly patients undergoing spine surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does opioid-sparing anesthesia reduce postoperative opioid consumption? Dose opioid-sparing anesthesia improve postoperative pain and enhance recovery? Researchers will compare opioid-sparing anesthesia to routine anesthesia which is used most common in clinical practice to see if opioid-sparing anesthesia lead to fewer postoperative opioid consumption and better pain and recovery outcomes. Participants will randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive opioid-sparing anesthesia management , while the other group will receive routine anesthesia management during general anesthesia. Participants will provide two rectal swab samples for analysis, complete five questionnaires once preoperatively, and then complete five questionnaires daily for three days postoperatively.

Timeline

Start

2026-07

Primary completion

2027-04

Completion

2027-05

Publications

• Background Xu M, Zhu R, She YJ, Sun Y, Xu L, Rosenquist R, Yao M, Han X, Xu J. Perioperative Ketamine and Esketamine for Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS): A Systematic Review. J Invest Surg. 2026 Dec;39(1):2637241. doi: 10.1080/08941939.2026.2637241. Epub 2026 Mar 11.
• Background Sun Y, Yao Y, Li Y, Deng W. Dexmedetomidine for opioid-sparing postoperative analgesia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Anesthesiol. 2026 Jan 13;26(1):103. doi: 10.1186/s12871-025-03606-w.
• Background Ervin-Sikhondze BA, Gunaseelan V, Chua KP, Bicket MC, Waljee JF, Englesbe MJ, Brummett CM. Opioid consumption in the first 30 days after surgery was independently associated with new persistent opioid use. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2026 Mar 5;51(3):317-323. doi: 10.1136/rapm-2024-106068.
• Background Mathew J, Gum JL, Carreon LY, Sampedro BC, Harpe-Bates J, Hines BP, Brown ME, Daniels CL, Mkorombindo T, Glassman SD. Opioid Sparing Anesthesia for Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery Reduces Postoperative Pain, Length of Stay, Opioid Consumption, and Opioid-Related Complications: A Propensity-Matched Analysis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2025 Jun 15;50(12):804-808. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000005159. Epub 2024 Sep 12.
• Background Yu C, Madsen M, Akande O, Oh MY, Mattie R, Lee DW. Narrative Review on Postoperative Pain Management Following Spine Surgery. Neurospine. 2025 Jun;22(2):403-420. doi: 10.14245/ns.2550410.205. Epub 2025 Jun 30.
• Background Chou R, Gordon DB, de Leon-Casasola OA, Rosenberg JM, Bickler S, Brennan T, Carter T, Cassidy CL, Chittenden EH, Degenhardt E, Griffith S, Manworren R, McCarberg B, Montgomery R, Murphy J, Perkal MF, Suresh S, Sluka K, Strassels S, Thirlby R, Viscusi E, Walco GA, Warner L, Weisman SJ, Wu CL. Management of Postoperative Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American Pain Society, the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists' Committee on Regional Anesthesia, Executive Committee, and Administrative Council. J Pain. 2016 Feb;17(2):131-57. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2015.12.008.

Drugs

Indications

No indication recorded.