Preoperative oral Pregabalin may improve postoperative analgesia and prevent chronic pain development. The present study evaluated the effect of oral Pregabalin on the duration and quality of postoperative analgesia in spinal anesthesia.

The study included Sixty adult patients who presented for internal fixation of femoral fracture under spinal anesthesia and randomized them to either the placebo group or the pregabalin group (150 mg pregabalin capsules 1 hr before surgery). It recorded the onset, duration, and regression of sensory and motor block; and also assessed rescue analgesia consumption, postoperative pain score, and quality of sleep.

The study found oral Pregabalin to significantly prolong the time to two-segment regression of sensory block, the time required to regression of spinal block to L2, and the duration of motor block, with no effect on the onset of sensory or motor block. Furthermore, the study found Pregabalin to significantly decrease the VAS score 4 hrs, 6 hrs, and 12 hrs postoperatively, prolonging postoperative analgesia and decreasing morphine consumption. Further, it also improved sleep quality on the first night after surgery.

This study shows that Preemptive oral Pregabalin prolongs the time to the first request for postoperative analgesics and improves sleep on the first night after surgery.

J Pain Res. 2019 Sep 30;12:2807-2814. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S216184. PMID: 31686901; PMCID: PMC6777433.