Analgesic effect - comparison of paracetamol administered intermittently and through patient-controlled analgesia pump after lumbar discectomy: A prospective clinical study

Abstract

Lumbar discectomy is the most common surgical treatment for intervertebral disc extrusion. Postoperative pain is a common clinical problem that greatly affects the length of hospitalization, functional status and patient quality of life. The aim of this study was to compare the postoperative analgesic efficacy of paracetamol administered intermittently and through patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump following single level lumbar discectomy. Patients who underwent elective lumbar discectomy of intervertebral disc extrusion at the L4-L5 level diagnosed by magnetic resonance of the lumbosacral spine were included in the study. Pain was assessed at regular intervals for 48 hours through a shortened version of McGill pain questionnaire translated in the Croatian language. When pain was monitored as a summarized variable for each measurement, PCA group significantly stood up after 24 hours with better perception of pain compared to the intermittent group (c2-test, p < 0.05). Adequate pain relief is an important aspect of postoperative care in spinal surgery patients. Postoperative use of paracetamol through PCA pump achieved better pain control and pain management versus postoperative use of intermittent paracetamol analgesia after lumbar discectomy.