Positive smoking history leads to an increased risk of patients with non-traumatic back pain progressing to surgery. Surgical patients also have a higher postoperative complication rate. Higher body mass index leads to an increased risk of complication and postoperative pain.

The results of this randomized double blinded placebo controlled clinical trial showed that oral gabapentin 100 mg at night and 300 mg two hours before surgery decreased postoperative pain up to 24 hours after abdominal hysterectomy.