Riassunto dello studio

Forty patients with lumbar spinal stenosis undergoing lumbar decompression surgery were randomized to receive either a single intraoperative bolus of epidural bupivacaine 0.25% (n=20) or placebo (n=20). The primary outcome of interest was the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) pain score over the first 48 hours post-surgery. Secondary outcomes included cumulative opioid use, quality of life (EQ-5D), and patient satisfaction (GSRI). Outcomes were assessed at recovery, 2, 4, 6, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively. Overall, the results of the study revealed significantly lower pain scores in the intervention group compared to the placebo group. However, no significant differences were observed in opioid use or quality of life scores between the groups. The findings suggest that epidural bupivacaine is effective in reducing postoperative pain without increasing opioid consumption.