Pre‐emptive administration of gabapentinoids to reduce postoperative pain and opioid usage following oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures

Aim The objective of this review was to assess the efficiency of pre‐emptive gabapentinoid administration on postoperative pain and opioid consumption in patients undergoing oral surgical procedures. Material and Methods A review of the literature was performed using various indexed databases. A total of six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the current systematic review which compared postoperative analgesic and/or opioid‐sparing effect of gabapentinoids (either alone or in combination with other drugs). Results Out of the six studies included, four studies showed a statistically significant reduction in pain scores while three studies showed a significant reduction in opioid consumption postoperatively. All studies included reported that adverse effects like nausea and vomiting were higher in the placebo group except for one study, which reported a higher frequency of adverse events in the pregabalin group. The overall risk of bias was low in five studies and moderate in one study. Conclusions In brief, gabapentinoids when administered pre‐emptively in patients undergoing oral surgical procedures reduced postoperative pain and opioid consumption. However, there is a need for further research to come to a consensus regarding the dosage and timing of the pre‐emptive gabapentinoids administration. Also, surgery specific research is needed in future studies.