Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: April | Volume: 6 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 185-192
Evaluation of Efficacy of Oral Pregabalin versus Acetaminophen in the Management of Postdural Puncture Headache after Spinal Anesthesia in Lower Abdominal and Pelvic Surgeries
Dr Nidha Rasool1, Dr Ajaiz Rasool2, Dr. Raja Suhail Shounthoo2, Dr Aabid Hussain Mir2, Dr Showkat Ahmad Gurcoo3
1Postgraduate Resident, 2Senior Resident, 3Professor,
Department of Anaesthesiology & Critical Care, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, SKIMS Soura Srinagar Kashmir India-190011
Corresponding Author: Dr Ajaiz Rasool
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Various drugs have been tried for prevention of postdural puncture headache. This prospective, observational study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of oral pregabalin in the management of postdural puncture headache after spinal anaesthesia in lower abdominal and pelvic surgeries and to compare its effectiveness with acetaminophen.
Method: Eighty patients, who developed postdural puncture headache (PDPH), were randomly assigned to two groups. Group A (n=42) received oral acetaminophen. Group P (n=38) received oral pregabalin. For each case, heart rate, mean arterial pressure and pain scores using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were recorded in the postoperative period; requirement for postoperative rescue analgesia was also noted.
Results: The groups were similar in terms of baseline characteristics, and distribution of study subjects. VAS scores at the onset of PDPH were comparable between the two groups, (p-value˃0.05) and remained as such at next 24 hrs, however a comparison of VAS scores at 48 hrs and 72 hrs, showed significantly low VAS scores for pregabalin group with respect to acetaminophen group (p-value˂0.05).
Conclusion: Oral pregabalin provides an effective alternative means for managing PDPH and may obviate the need for invasive modalities like epidural blood patch in such cases.
Key words: Spinal anesthesia, postdural puncture headache, neuraxial anesthesia, pregabalin.
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