Tiny naloxone dose may block painkiller side effect in spine surgery

This study tested whether a very low dose of naloxone, a drug that blocks opioids, could prevent the increased pain sensitivity that sometimes happens after using the strong painkiller remifentanil during surgery. The study planned to enroll adults having spinal fusion surgery and compare three groups: low-dose remifentanil, high-dose remifentanil, and high-dose remifentanil plus ultra-low naloxone. The study was terminated early and only 8 people participated, so results are limited.