The Effect of Tizanidine on Postoperative Pain Management After Lumbar Fusion Surgery

Abstract

Lumbar fusion is one of the most commonly used surgical procedures to improve the pain and instability of the spinal vertebrae. After surgery, patients experience varying degrees of pain. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of tizanidine for the management of postoperative pain after lumbar spinal fusion surgery. This randomized clinical trial study was performed on 50 patients who were selected for spinal fusion surgery. Patients were randomly divided into two groups of 25 patients. Patients in the tizanidine and placebo groups received 4 mg oral tizanidine and placebo one hour before surgery and 24 hours after that. Severity of pain, presence of nausea, vomiting, pruritus, headache, vertigo, xerostomia, somnolence, bradycardia and excess opiate in the two groups were evaluated and recorded prior to exit from recovery and 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after surgery. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 24. There was a significant difference in pain score in tizanidine group at 24 and 48 hours after surgery compared with placebo (P <0.005). In the control group, the use of morphine sulfate was more than the tizanidine group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of side effects in the two groups (P> 0.05). Low dose tizanidine in postoperative pain management is effective without significant side effects. Due to its simpler administration, it is recommended to use for postoperative pain control after lumbar fusion surgery.