71 patients scheduled for instrumented thoracolumbar surgery were randomized to postoperative analgesia with either continuous wound infiltration with ropivacaine or continuous intravenous infusion of flurbiprofen axetil and pentazocine. Patients were assessed for pain scores, the requirement of rescue analgesia, and adverse events over the first 48 hours postoperatively. There was no difference in pain scores between groups over the first 48 hours. A significantly lower incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting was documented in the continuous wound infiltration group compared to the intravenous analgesia group. All other secondary outcomes did not significantly differ between groups.