Aim: Comparison of postoperative mean morphine consumption in patients given preoperative gabapentin and placebo undergoing major laparotomies for lower abdomen and pelvis.

Study design: Randomized controlled trial

Setting: Anaesthesia department, Hameed Latif hospital, Lahore

Duration: Six months i.e. 20-04-2008 to 21-10-2008

Methods: 150 patients having major laparotomies were divided in group I i.e. 75 subjects with multivitamins as control and group II i.e.75 patients with Gabapentin. The two groups were compared for the consumption dose of opioid analgesia, postoperatively. Student’s t test was applied and p<0.05 was taken as significant.

Results: The mean dose of tramadol consumed by the patients in group I was 43.6±18.9 mg and in group II was 14.7±5.7 mg.

Conclusions: Preoperative use of Gabapentin before laparotomies reduces the morphine usage postoperatively.

Keywords: Gabapentin; postoperative analgesia; morphine consumption: