Does Perioperative Intravenous Magnesium Affect Postoperative Quality of Recovery in Craniotomy Surgery Patients?

Perioperative pain management for craniotomy patients may be challenging because the commonly used agents such as opioids, gabapentin, and dexmedetomidine also cause sedation, which can confound the neurological exam and can lead to respiratory depression and increased intracranial pressure. Preoperative intravenous magnesium boluses and infusions have previously been established as an effective, nonsedating analgesic that can reduce opioid consumption 25-30% up to 48 hours postoperatively. However, intravenous magnesium has not seen widespread use in craniotomy patients due to concerns for interference with the neurological monitoring that commonly occurs in these cases. Intravenous magnesium given as a bolus preoperatively or as a constant infusion may avoid these problems and has never been investigated. The goal of this study is to compare intravenous magnesium given preoperatively and intraoperatively to placebo in adult elective craniotomy patients to improve quality of recovery postoperatively, and evaluate safety and tolerability. Secondary endpoints will include evaluating for pain, sedation, agitation, blood pressure, and opioid consumption postoperatively.