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Effect of Opioid-Sparing Anesthesia on Postoperative Opioid Consumption and Pain in Elderly Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery
Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital
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.
Official title: Effect of Opioid-Sparing Anesthesia on Postoperative Opioid Consumption and Pain in Spine Surgery
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
65 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
120
Start Date
2026-07
Completion Date
2027-05
Last Updated
2026-06-15
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Opioid-Sparing Protocol
The opioid-sparing anesthesia protocol consists of continuous intravenous infusion of ketamine (5 μg/kg/min) and dexmedetomidine (0.6 μg/kg/h) during general anesthesia. If needed during surgery, rescue analgesia with dexmedetomidine (0.4 μg/kg, i.v.) or ketamine (5 mg, i.v.) may be administered as clinically indicated.
Routine anesthesia protocol
Routine anesthesia consisting of standard general anesthetic management per institutional practice, which include opioid-based analgesia as clinically indicated, which is fentanyl 100 μg during induction, and if needed during surgery, rescue analgesia with hydromorphone may be administered as clinically indicated.