How Does Gabapentin Affects Post-operative Tonsillectomy Pain?

Overview[ - collapse ][ - ]

Purpose Gabapentin is a medicine that has been used in adults (but not yet in children) to treat pain after surgery. In children it has been used for many years to treat other conditions and has been shown to be very safe. Removal of tonsils is a common operation with each child experiencing a similar pattern of pain; this makes it good for looking at the effect of pain relieving medicines. In our study each child will get the same operation and medicines, as they would have normally. Before the operation and in a random way, half will get gabapentin and half will get the same syrup but with no gabapentin. Afterwards we will record how much pain the children have and how much of our standard medicine is needed to make them comfortable. We expect both of these results to be lower in the half who received gabapentin. We will also record the amount and type of unwanted effects, both from the gabapentin and from any other pain relief medicines.
ConditionPost-operative Pain
InterventionDrug: Gabapentin
Drug: Placebo
PhasePhase 3
SponsorUniversity of British Columbia
Responsible PartyUniversity of British Columbia
ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT00624455
First ReceivedFebruary 18, 2008
Last UpdatedAugust 17, 2009
Last verifiedAugust 2009

Tracking Information[ + expand ][ + ]

First Received DateFebruary 18, 2008
Last Updated DateAugust 17, 2009
Start DateJuly 2007
Estimated Primary Completion DateAugust 2009
Current Primary Outcome MeasuresTotal postoperative morphine consumption at four hours (from the time of extubation) [Time Frame: 4 hours] [Designated as safety issue: No]
Current Secondary Outcome MeasuresPain scores, presence of nausea/ vomiting, dizziness, sedation, satisfaction [Time Frame: 4 hours] [Designated as safety issue: No]

Descriptive Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Brief TitleHow Does Gabapentin Affects Post-operative Tonsillectomy Pain?
Official TitleDoes a Single Preoperative Dose of Gabapentin Reduce Postoperative Tonsillectomy Pain and Subsequent Morphine Requirement in Children?
Brief Summary
Gabapentin is a medicine that has been used in adults (but not yet in children) to treat
pain after surgery. In children it has been used for many years to treat other conditions
and has been shown to be very safe.

Removal of tonsils is a common operation with each child experiencing a similar pattern of
pain; this makes it good for looking at the effect of pain relieving medicines. In our study
each child will get the same operation and medicines, as they would have normally. Before
the operation and in a random way, half will get gabapentin and half will get the same syrup
but with no gabapentin. Afterwards we will record how much pain the children have and how
much of our standard medicine is needed to make them comfortable. We expect both of these
results to be lower in the half who received gabapentin. We will also record the amount and
type of unwanted effects, both from the gabapentin and from any other pain relief medicines.
Detailed Description
Tonsillectomy is one of the most commonly performed children's surgeries and produces a
consistent pattern and intensity of pain in the recovery period. These qualities make this
surgery ideal for the investigation of pain relieving medications. Adequate analgesia for
tonsillectomy in the perioperative period presents a challenge to the anesthetist because
opiates, which provide the most effective analgesia, are associated with a high incidence of
nausea and vomiting, respiratory depression, and sedation. These effects make recovery from
tonsillectomy particularly hazardous in children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome
(OSAS) (the primary indication for tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy) thus alternatives
to opiates have been sought. Gabapentin is a drug with an extensive safety record in the
treatment of children's seizures, and chronic pain syndromes. Recently studies have
demonstrated new modes of action for this medication, both directly on pain and in
increasing the efficacy of conventional opiate (morphine) pain relieving medications. As
such it may have role in the relief of acute pain. We hypothesize that given preoperatively
as a single dose; gabapentin will reduce postoperative pain and opiate requirement in
children undergoing tonsillectomy. Randomization will follow a computer generated random
pattern with 14 patients in each group (placebo or gabapentin). Pain and sedation will be
recorded as will the incidence of vomiting, dizziness and pruritis. Pain will be assessed
using the Coloured Analogue Scale and sedation with the University of Michigan Sedation
Scale. The time to first oral intake of fluids will also be recorded. All recordings will be
made at 5-minute intervals from time of extubation (time = 0) and will be made by an
independent blinded recovery nurse. Subjects will stay in the PACU for a minimum of one hour
from time zero, and will only be discharged to the Surgical Daycare Unit at a point after
this when two successive pain measurements demonstrate a score of 3 or less. In the
Surgical Daycare Unit pain assessment will continue at intervals of 30 minutes to a total
time of 4 hours from time zero and will be recorded by a member of the research team blinded
to nature of premedication. A telephone interview will be scheduled with the subject's
parents at 24 hours from time zero.
Study TypeInterventional
Study PhasePhase 3
Study DesignAllocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Investigator), Primary Purpose: Treatment
ConditionPost-operative Pain
InterventionDrug: Gabapentin
One dose of oral premedication of Gabapentin 10 mg kg-1 given at least 30 but not more than 90 minutes before surgery. Max dose is 600mg.
Drug: Placebo
Placebo
Study Arm (s)
  • Active Comparator: 1
    One dose of oral premedication of Gabapentin 10 mg kg-1 given at least 30 but not more than 90 minutes before surgery. Max dose is 600mg.
  • Placebo Comparator: 2
    Placebo

Recruitment Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Recruitment StatusCompleted
Estimated Enrollment28
Estimated Completion DateAugust 2009
Estimated Primary Completion DateDecember 2008
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

- Tonsillectomy

- Adenotonsillectomy

- ASA status 1 to 3

- Weight < 60 kg

- BMI < 30
GenderBoth
Ages5 Years
Accepts Healthy VolunteersAccepts Healthy Volunteers
ContactsNot Provided
Location CountriesCanada

Administrative Information[ + expand ][ + ]

NCT Number NCT00624455
Other Study ID NumbersH07-00265
Has Data Monitoring CommitteeNo
Information Provided ByUniversity of British Columbia
Study SponsorUniversity of British Columbia
CollaboratorsNot Provided
Investigators Principal Investigator: Robert Purdy, MD University of British ColumbiaStudy Director: Mark Ansermino, MD University of British ColumbiaStudy Director: Andrew Morrison, MD University of British ColumbiaStudy Director: Helen Hume-Smith, MD University of British ColumbiaStudy Director: Simon Whyte, MD University of British ColumbiaPrincipal Investigator: Carolyne Montgomery, MD University of British Columbia
Verification DateAugust 2009

Locations[ + expand ][ + ]

BC Children's Hospital
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6H 3V4