Pharmacogenetic Morphine Spine Study

The purpose of this research study is to identify factors and genes (the DNA material that determines the makeup of the human body) that may be associated with how children cope with pain and respond to pain medication. Morphine is a pain medication commonly prescribed after this surgery during the hospital stay. The investigators want to study factors that may be associated with morphine requirement after surgery and side-effects from morphine. They will use pharmacometric models to identify dosing guidelines and factors associated with individual variability in metabolism and efficacy/safety of morphine. They will also study psychological, genetic and epigenetic factors associated with acute and chronic post-surgical pain after spine surgery. The investigators expect that the information obtained in this research study will help to develop effective, safer, and tailored treatment options in the future.