Multimodal Opioid-Sparing Analgesia for Post-Craniotomy Pain Management

This study focuses on managing pain after a type of brain surgery called a craniotomy. The goal is to find a way to effectively reduce pain while using fewer opioids, which are strong painkillers that can have side effects like nausea, vomiting, and excessive sleepiness. The study involves people who have had elective craniotomies, which are planned surgeries to treat conditions like tumors or aneurysms. The importance of this research lies in the potential to improve recovery after brain surgery, reduce the need for opioids, and lower the risk of complications associated with their use. Participants in this study will receive either standard opioid painkillers or a combination of different types of pain-relieving medications known as 'multimodal analgesia'. This combination may include drugs like Paracetamol, NSAIDs, Gabapentin, and Dexmedetomidine, as well as a scalp block, which is a local anesthetic injected into the scalp. The study will compare the effectiveness of these two approaches in relieving pain, looking at factors such as the time until the first request for additional pain relief and the total amount of pain medication used. It will also monitor for any side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and excessive sleepiness.