New approach aims to cut opioid use for teens after spine surgery

This study is testing if adding a low-dose sedative infusion to standard pain medications helps teens recover from major spine surgery for scoliosis. Researchers want to see if this combination reduces the total amount of strong opioid painkillers needed and lowers side effects like nausea and itching. About 160 teens having this specific surgery will be randomly assigned to receive either the new sedative infusion or a placebo saline drip for 24 hours after their operation.