Efficacy of Intrathecal Oxytocin to Speed Recovery After Hip Surgery

Efficacy of Intrathecal Oxytocin to Speed Recovery After Hip Surgery

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of intrathecal oxytocin on speed of reduction in pain for the first 60 days after hip surgery.

This is a single-center, NIH funded clinical study at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The investigators anticipate that intrathecal oxytocin will speed recovery from pain after major surgery (hip arthroplasty). For this study, the investigators will use a randomized, controlled and blinded study of intrathecal oxytocin in patients scheduled for hip arthroplasty, with primary outcome being the slope of change in pain over the first 60 days following surgery, using growth curve modeling and a ln(time) function.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Scheduled for unilateral, primary total hip replacement
• American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status 1-3

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy
• Currently Workman's Comp litigation related to hip replacement
• Taking greater than 100 milligrams of morphine (or equivalent)
• Suffering from a psychotic disorder or a recent psychiatric hospitalization