Very interesting. Do you keep giving it? Or, is it a one time deal as copro is doing?
Sedation, as copro said, seems to be a huge side effect. I wonder if people are using it because of that.
Has anyone noticed any difference while under GA? Less narcotic need? Faster, slower wake up? Does it affect the BIS? Does it affect the MAC? Less bucking? What about PACU discharge time?
Almost all these issues (less narcotic, less bucking) have some literature to support its use. Most of the literature I have read use it as a single preop dose of 800mg-1200mg.
Here is a good review, but a pubmed search ("preoperative gabapentin") shows many articles on the subject.
Gabapentin and postoperative pain--a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
Pain. 2006 Dec 15;126(1-3):91-101. 2006 Jul 18. Review.
The data on Celebrex is similar. For TKA's we use celebrex 400mg, gabapentin 900mg, and I think some tylenol, and a fascia iliaca catheter.