A randomised controlled trial of peri‐operative pregabalin vs. placebo for video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery

SummaryWe allocated 52 participants to oral pregabalin 300 mg and 48 participants to placebo tablets before thoracoscopic surgery and for five postoperative days. The median (IQR [range]) cumulative pain scores at rest for nine postoperative months were 184 (94–274 [51–1454]) after pregabalin and 166 (66–266 [48–1628]) after placebo, p = 0.39. The corresponding scores on deep breathing were 468 (281–655 [87–2870]) and 347 (133–561 [52–3666]), respectively, p = 0.16. After three postoperative months, 29/100 participants had persistent surgical site pain, 19/52 after pregabalin and 10/48 after placebo, p = 0.12, of whom four and five, respectively, attended a pain management clinic, p = 0.24. The median (IQR [range]) morphine equivalent consumption six days after surgery was 273 (128–619 [39–2243]) mg after pregabalin and 319 (190–663 [47–2258]) mg after placebo, p = 0.35.