Protocolization of Post-Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion Pain Control with Elimination of Benzodiazepines and Long-Acting Opioids

Neurosurgery ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 86 (5) ◽  
pp. 717-723
Author(s):  
Jason H Boulter ◽  
Brian P Curry ◽  
Nicholas S Szuflita ◽  
Charles A Miller ◽  
Joseph Spinelli ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND The opioid epidemic continues to worsen with a concomitant increase in opioid-related mortality. In response, the Department of Defense and Veterans Health Agency recommended against the use of long-acting opioids (LAOs) and concurrent use of opioids with benzodiazepines. Subsequently, we eliminated benzodiazepines and LAOs from our postoperative pain control regimen. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of removing benzodiazepines and LAOs on postoperative pain in single-level transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) patients. METHODS A retrospective cohort study of single-level TLIF patients from February 2016-March 2018 was performed. Postoperative pain control in the + benzodiazepine cohort included scheduled diazepam with or without LAOs. These medications were replaced with nonbenzodiazepine, opioid-sparing adjuncts in the −benzodiazepine cohort. Pain scores, length of hospitalization, trigger medication use, and opioid use and duration were compared. RESULTS Among 77 patients, there was no difference between inpatient pain scores, but the -benzodiazepine cohort experienced a faster rate of morphine equivalent reduction (−18.7%, 95% CI [−1.22%, −36.10%]), used less trigger medications (−1.55, 95% CI [−0.43, −2.67]), and discharged earlier (0.6 d; 95% CI [0.01, 1.11 d]). As outpatients, the −benzodiazepine cohort was less likely to receive opioid refills at 2 wk (29.2% vs 55.8%, P = .021) and 6 mo postoperatively (0% vs 13.2%, P = .039), and was less likely to be using opioids by 3 mo postoperatively (13.3% vs 34.2%, P = .048). CONCLUSION Replacement of benzodiazepines and LAOs in the pain control regimen for single-level TLIFs did not affect pain scores and was associated with decreased opioid use, a reduction in trigger medications, and shorter hospitalizations.

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marko Tomov ◽  
Kevin Tou ◽  
Rose Winkel ◽  
Ross Puffer ◽  
Mohamad Bydon ◽  
...  

<sec><title>Study Design</title><p>Retrospective case-control study using prospectively collected data.</p></sec><sec><title>Purpose</title><p>Evaluate the impact of liposomal bupivacaine (LB) on postoperative pain management and narcotic use following standardized single-level low lumbar transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF).</p></sec><sec><title>Overview of Literature</title><p>Poor pain control after surgery has been linked with decreased pain satisfaction and increased economic burden. Unfortunately, opioids have many limitations and side effects despite being the primary treatment of postoperative pain. LB may be a form of pre-emptive analgesia used to reduce the use of postoperative narcotics as evidence in other studies evaluating its use in single-level microdiskectomies.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>The infiltration of LB subcutaneously during wound closure was performed by a single surgeon beginning in July 2014 for all single-level lumbar TLIF spinal surgeries at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. This cohort was compared against a control cohort of patients who underwent the same surgery by the same surgeon in the preceding 6 months. Statistical analysis was performed on relevant variables including: morphine equivalents of narcotic medication used (primary outcome), length of hospitalization, Visual Analog Scale pain scores, and total time spent on a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>A total of 30 patients were included in this study; 16 were in the intervention cohort and 14 were in the control cohort. The morphine equivalents of intravenous narcotic use postoperatively were significantly less in the LB cohort from day of surgery to postoperative day 3. Although the differences lost their statistical significance, the trend remained for total (oral and intravenous) narcotic consumption to be lower in the LB group. The patients who received the study intervention required an acute pain service consult less frequently (62.5% in LB cohort vs. 78.6% in control cohort). The amount of time spent on a PCA pump in the LB group was 31 hours versus 47 hours in the control group (<italic>p</italic>=0.1506).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title><p>Local infiltration of LB postoperatively to the subcutaneous tissues during closure following TLIF significantly decreased the amount of intravenous narcotic medication required by patients. Well-powered prospective studies are still needed to determine optimal dosing and confirm benefits of LB on total narcotic consumption and other measures of pain control following major spinal surgery.</p></sec>


2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 3530-3532
Author(s):  
Bogdan Hogea ◽  
Bogdan Corneliu Andor ◽  
Alina Totorean ◽  
Lavinia Maria Hogea ◽  
Laura Alexandra Nussbaum ◽  
...  

The authors present their intraoperative and postoperative experience in using intramuscular infiltrations with analgesic and anesthetic substances as pain control methods in patients that undergo hip surgery: arthroplasty or hemiarthroplasty. A total of 30 patients that have undergone either an elective total hip arthroplasty surgery or hemiarthroplasty of the hip following a hip fracture, since May 2018 until August 2018. The patients were divided in two equal groups, one group that followed through the protocol and one control group. The intramuscular infiltrations were administered intraoperatively at the timeline of the muscle suture and contained: Bupivacaine 10 mL + Morphine 1 mL + Methylprednisolone 40mg. Postoperative protocol used the visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 for measuring the postoperative pain control. Intraoperative intramuscular infiltrations, with an analgesic and anesthetic cocktail consisting of Bupivacaine, Morphine and Methylprednisolone, for patients that are going through hip surgery are safe to use with very good results in terms of postoperative pain control. We reduced the consumption of opioids and analgesic drugs, which indirectly leads to decreased direct cost per patient. Another important benefit was an early active mobilization of the patient, with shorter hospitalization time. All things considered, using regional anesthesia and multimodal pain management techniques may lead to a nearly painless hip surgery.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Shawn H. Malan ◽  
Christopher H. Bailey ◽  
Narjeet Khurmi

In 2016, more than 11 million people reported misuse of opioids in the previous year. In an effort to combat opioid use disorder (OUD), the use of agonist/antagonist is becoming increasingly common, with more than 2.2 million patients reporting use of a buprenorphine containing medication such as Suboxone®. Buprenorphine is a unique opioid which acts as a partial μ agonist and ĸ antagonist. These properties make it an effective tool in treating OUD and abuse. However, despite its advantages in treating OUD and abuse, buprenorphine can make it difficult to control acute perioperative pain. We present a case in which the Mayo Clinic Arizona protocol for patients undergoing minimally invasive ambulatory surgery while taking Suboxone® is successfully executed, resulting in adequate postoperative pain control and timely discharge from the postanesthesia recovery unit.


2013 ◽  
Vol 119 (6) ◽  
pp. 1434-1443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chad M. Brummett ◽  
Allison M. Janda ◽  
Christa M. Schueller ◽  
Alex Tsodikov ◽  
Michelle Morris ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Variance in pain after total knee and hip arthroplasty may be due to a number of procedural and peripheral factors but also, in some individuals, to aberrant central pain processing as is described in conditions like fibromyalgia. To test this hypothesis, the authors conducted a prospective, observational cohort study of patients undergoing lower-extremity joint arthroplasty. Methods: Five hundred nineteen patients were preoperatively phenotyped using validated self-reported pain questionnaires, psychological measures, and health information. In addition to being assessed for factors previously found to be associated with poor outcomes in arthroplasty, participants also completed the American College of Rheumatology survey criteria for fibromyalgia. Previous studies have suggested that rather than being “present” or “absent,” features of fibromyalgia as measured by this instrument, occur over a wide continuum. Postoperative pain control was assessed by total postoperative opioid consumption. Results: Preoperatively, patients with higher fibromyalgia survey scores were younger, more likely to be female, taking more opioids, reported higher pain severity, and had a more negative psychological profile. In the multivariate analysis, the fibromyalgia survey score, younger age, preoperative opioid use, knee (vs. hip), pain severity at baseline, and the anesthetic technique were all predictive of increased postoperative opioid consumption. Conclusions: The use of the survey criteria for fibromyalgia led to the finding of distinct phenotypic differences, and the measure was independently predictive of opioid consumption. This self-report measure may provide an additional simple means of predicting postoperative pain outcomes and analgesic requirements. Future studies are needed to determine whether tailored therapies can improve postoperative pain control in this population.


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