Perioperative use of gabapentinoids in pediatric patients

Effective management of pediatric perioperative pain is typically goal-directed and multimodal, requiring various imperfect agents in combination to provide analgesia and support recovery. Gabapentinoids are one such class of agents often used in pediatric analgesic and enhanced recovery pathways. In adults, gabapentinoids have been associated with a modest reduction in pain scores but are often avoided due to undesired side effects. Children may be less susceptible to these unwanted effects, and the reduction in pain, agitation, and post-operative nausea and vomiting seen with these medications may confer significant benefit. While further studies are needed, to date there is no evidence to suggest a significantly increased risk of adverse effects in generally healthy children treated with gabapentinoids in the perioperative period. Although current evidence does not support their indiscriminate use, there appears to be a subset of pediatric surgical patients who stand to benefit from perioperative gabapentinoids. Pediatric use should not be abandoned, but rather further investigated to support thoughtful goal-directed application.

Graphical Abstract