To evaluate the efficacy and safety of carbamazepine (CBZ) in reducing postoperative pain, analgesic consumption, and hospital stay in patients undergoing surgery for tentorial meningiomas.
Key Findings:
CBZ group had significantly lower pain scores on postoperative days 2 and 7 (p < 0.05).
Analgesic consumption was similar in the first 96 hours but significantly lower in the CBZ group from 96 hours to discharge, particularly for opioids (p < 0.05).
Shorter hospital stays and lower costs were observed in the CBZ group, though not statistically significant (22 in control, 20 in CBZ).
Interpretation:
CBZ effectively reduces postoperative pain and decreases analgesic use without increasing adverse effects in patients with tentorial meningiomas, suggesting its role in multimodal pain management strategies, but further prospective studies are warranted.
Limitations:
Retrospective design may introduce selection bias and limit causal inferences.
Sample size was relatively small (42 patients).
Differences in hospital stay and costs were not statistically significant.
Conclusion:
CBZ is a promising adjunct in postoperative pain management for patients undergoing surgery for tentorial meningiomas, warranting further prospective studies.
