From the Guidelines

Yes, magnesium can be used for perioperative pain management for surgical procedures.

Perioperative magnesium has been shown to reduce postoperative pain and opioid consumption 1.
A study found that 2 ml of perineural magnesium sulphate 10% added to interscalene block reduced the pain scores at 12 h postoperatively compared with placebo, but did not reduce opioid consumption 1.
However, other studies have reported mixed results, with some showing a transient effect of topical magnesium sulphate, while others did not show any difference when intra-operative and postoperative i.v. magnesium sulphate was compared with placebo 1.
The evidence suggests that magnesium may have a small effect when administered locally, but its use as a perioperative pain management strategy is not widely established.

Perioperative pain management is a crucial aspect of surgical care, and various strategies are employed to reduce pain and opioid consumption.
Magnesium is one of the adjuncts that has been studied for its potential to reduce postoperative pain and opioid consumption.
While the evidence is not conclusive, magnesium may be considered as part of a multimodal analgesia strategy, especially in patients who are at high risk of opioid-related adverse effects.

Further studies are needed to fully establish the role of magnesium in perioperative pain management.
The optimal dose, route, and timing of magnesium administration need to be determined.
Additionally, the potential benefits and risks of magnesium use in perioperative pain management should be carefully weighed, especially in patients with underlying medical conditions.

From the Research

Magnesium has been shown to be effective in reducing postoperative pain and analgesic consumption in various studies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
The use of magnesium oxide or magnesium sulfate as an adjuvant for perioperative pain management has been found to decrease pain intensity and opioid consumption in patients undergoing surgical procedures 2, 3, 5, 6
Studies have demonstrated that perioperative magnesium administration can reduce postoperative pain scores, analgesic consumption, and time to first analgesic request 4, 5, 6
The antinociceptive effects of magnesium are thought to be related to its regulation of calcium influx into the cell, which can help to reduce pain transmission 3
The evidence suggests that magnesium can be a useful adjunct for perioperative pain management, although the quality of evidence varies and further research is needed to fully understand its effects 4

A 2022 study published in the Irish Journal of Medical Science found that preoperative oral magnesium oxide reduced postoperative pain and analgesic consumption in patients undergoing hysterectomy 2
A 2002 study published in the European Journal of Anaesthesiology found that perioperative infusion of magnesium reduced postoperative pain and anxiety in patients undergoing elective hysterectomy 3
A 2021 umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses found that perioperative magnesium had a beneficial effect on postoperative analgesia, although the quality of evidence was limited 4
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology found that magnesium sulfate reduced postoperative pain and opioid consumption in patients undergoing general abdominal surgery 5
A 2013 meta-analysis published in Anaesthesia found that peri-operative intravenous administration of magnesium sulphate reduced postoperative pain and opioid consumption 6