Date of Award

7-31-2020

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Medical Science (MMSc)

First Advisor

Peter Whang, MD, FACS

Abstract

Inadequate postoperative pain management following spinal surgery contributes to delayed mobilization and chronic pain. The current standard of care following spinal surgery consists of opiates and anesthetics to target multiple pain pathways. However, opiates are limited by their significant adverse effects and anesthetics are limited by their short duration of delivery. One approach that may overcome these limitations is liposomal or lipid-encapsulated drug formulations, which have been shown to extend the duration of drug delivery to target tissues. In this study, we will compare adjunctive opioid consumption in a randomized controlled trial of patients undergoing elective posterior lumbar spinal surgery that receive liposomal and conventional anesthetic versus conventional anesthetic. We hypothesize that liposomal anesthetic will improve pain management by reducing the total adjunctive opioid consumption required. This study will address a key limitation of conventional anesthetics and may provide evidence for the utility of liposomal anesthetic in postoperative pain management.

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