The effect of a scheduled regimen of acetaminophen and ibuprofen on opioid use following cesarean delivery

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-156
Author(s):  
Dijana Poljak ◽  
Joseph Chappelle

AbstractObjectiveThe primary objective was to evaluate if the administration of ibuprofen and acetaminophen at regularly scheduled intervals impacts pain scores and total opioid consumption, when compared to administration based on patient demand.MethodsA retrospective chart review was performed comparing scheduled vs. as-needed acetaminophen and ibuprofen regimens, with 100 women included in each arm. Demographics and delivery characteristics were collected in addition to pain scores and total ibuprofen, acetaminophen and oxycodone use at 24, 48 and 72 h postoperatively.ResultsThe scheduled dosing group was found to have a statistically significant decrease in pain scores at all time intervals. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen usage were also noted to be higher in this group while narcotic use was reduced by 64%.ConclusionScheduled dosing of non-narcotic pain medications can substantially decrease opioid usage after cesarean delivery and improve post-operative pain.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan P Scoville ◽  
Evan Joyce ◽  
Joshua Hunsaker ◽  
Jared Reese ◽  
Herschel Wilde ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has been shown to decrease length of hospital stay and opioid use. OBJECTIVE To identify whether surgery for epilepsy mapping via MIS stereotactically placed electroencephalography (SEEG) electrodes decreased overall opioid use when compared with craniotomy for EEG grid placement (ECoG). METHODS Patients who underwent surgery for epilepsy mapping, either SEEG or ECoG, were identified through retrospective chart review from 2015 through 2018. The hospital stay was separated into specific time periods to distinguish opioid use immediately postoperatively, throughout the rest of the stay and at discharge. The total amount of opioids consumed during each period was calculated by transforming all types of opioids into their morphine equivalents (ME). Pain scores were also collected using a modification of the Clinically Aligned Pain Assessment (CAPA) scale. The 2 surgical groups were compared using appropriate statistical tests. RESULTS The study identified 43 patients who met the inclusion criteria: 36 underwent SEEG placement and 17 underwent craniotomy grid placement. There was a statistically significant difference in median opioid consumption per hospital stay between the ECoG and the SEEG placement groups, 307.8 vs 71.5 ME, respectively (P = .0011). There was also a significant difference in CAPA scales between the 2 groups (P = .0117). CONCLUSION Opioid use is significantly lower in patients who undergo MIS epilepsy mapping via SEEG compared with those who undergo the more invasive ECoG procedure. As part of efforts to decrease the overall opioid burden, these results should be considered by patients and surgeons when deciding on surgical methods.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (7_suppl6) ◽  
pp. 2325967120S0050
Author(s):  
Ehab Nazzal

Objectives: Prescription opioid abuse continues to be a national crisis in the United States. Orthopaedic surgeons contribute significantly to this crisis, prescribing nearly a tenth of annual opioid prescriptions. With Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction being a common orthopaedic procedure performed at high volumes, understanding how physician opioid prescribing practices affects patient post-operative opioid utilization is of critical importance to curbing the orthopaedic contribution to the opioid epidemic. We aimed to assess how opioid tablet strength affects post-operative opioid consumption following ACL reconstruction. We hypothesized that prescribing a lower strength opioid tablet would not adversely influence post-operative pain or increase opioid consumption Methods: All data was collected prospectively from patients undergoing ACL reconstruction at a single academic ambulatory surgery center.All patients received the same peri-operative pain management protocol, which consisted of an adductor canal block at the time of surgery, Naprosyn 500 mg to be taken as needed, and pre-operative opioid education that outlined safe opioid use practice. Percocet was prescribed at two dosages in a consecutive fashion. Between March 2018 to October 2018, patients received Percocet at a strength of 7.5 mg (7.5 mg Oxycodone/325 Acetaminophen). From November 2018 to May 2019, patients received prescriptions at a dose of 5 mg. At the first post-operative clinic visit, patients completed a survey describing the quantity of opioid tablets consumed, days of postoperative opioid use, and opioid-related adverse effects. In addition, patients used a smart-phone application to assess post-operative pain on a numeric rating scale from post-operative day (POD) 1 to POD 6. Results: 148 patients were prospectively enrolled. 78 (51.3%) received Percocet at a strength of 7.5 mg per tablet and 69 (46.9%)received Percocet at a strength of 5 mg. The median age was 23 years (interquartile range: 18-36) and 49.7% were female. The 7.5 mg cohort took an average of 12.4 tablets (±7.0), while the 5 mg cohort took an average of 8.6 (±7.4) tablets, a 3.7 tablet decrease (p=0.002). Both cohorts consumed opioids for the same amount of post-operative days (5mg cohort: 3.1 days, 7.5mg cohort: 3.5 days; p=0.289). The incidence of opioid related side effect were equivalent between the 5 mg and 7.5 mg cohorts, which included constipation (34.8% and 34.6%, p=0.983), euphoria (5.8% v. 10.3%, p=0.324), nausea/vomiting (13.0% v. 16.7%, p=0.539), fatigue (2.9% v. 6.4%, p0.319), and pruritus (2.9% v. 5.1%, p=0.495). There was no difference in post-operative numeric pain scores in the 5 mg vs. the 7.5 mg cohort (POD 1: 5.7 ±1.9 vs. 5.4 ± 2.0, p=0.633; POD 6: 3.3 ± 2.1 vs. 2.9 ± 1.8, p=0.726). Conclusion: Prescribing a lower strength of oxycodone after ACL reconstruction did not increase pain scores or opioid consumption.This suggests that it is possible to achieve similar pain control while lowering the total opioid prescribed. These finding support future research focusing on optimizing pain control at minimal opioid doses.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (S2) ◽  
pp. 349-357
Author(s):  
George L. Caldwell ◽  
Michael A. Selepec

Abstract Background The use of opioid analgesia is common in both the acute and extended post-operative periods after rotator cuff repair. The current opioid crisis has prompted surgeons to seek alternatives that minimize or even eliminate the need for oral opioids after surgery. Questions/Purposes We sought to investigate the effects on post-operative opioid use of a surgeon-administered block of the suprascapular and axillary nerves in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR), in particular to quantify outpatient opioid consumption and duration. Methods In this prospective observational study, all patients undergoing primary ARCR performed under general anesthesia by a single surgeon were studied over a 15-month period. Of 91 ARCRs performed, 87 patients were enrolled and followed prospectively. At the conclusion of the procedure, the surgeon performed “local–regional” nerve blockade with injections to the sensory branches of the suprascapular nerve and the axillary nerve, as well as local infiltration about the shoulder. Use of medications in the post-anesthesia care unit was left up to the anesthesiologist. Patients were prescribed oral opioids (hydrocodone/acetaminophen 5/325 mg) for analgesia after discharge. The quantity and duration of opioid use and pain scores were recorded for 4 months. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate factors that could account for greater opioid use. Results Total opioid consumption ranged from 0 to 30 opioid tablets (average, 4.2 tablets) over the 4-month period. Post-operatively, 91% of patients took between ten or fewer tablets, and 39% took no opioids. The average duration of opioid use was 2.4 days. No patients were taking opioids at the 4- to 6-week or 4-month follow-up visits, none required refills, and none received prescriptions from outside prescribers. No statistically significant differences were seen in opioids taken or duration of use in regard to tear size, sex, body mass index, surgery location, or procedure time. There was a significant inverse correlation between opioid use and age. In addition, the cost of the surgeon-performed procedure was substantially lower than that associated with pre-operative nerve blockade performed by an anesthesiologist. All patients were satisfied with the post-operative pain management protocol. Average reported post-operative pain scores were low and decreased at each visit. Conclusion With this local–regional nerve-blocking protocol, opioid use after ARCR was unexpectedly low, and a large proportion of patients recovered without any post-surgical opioids. The correlation seen between opioid use and age may not be clinically significant, given the low use of post-operative opioids overall. These results may be useful in guiding post-operative opioid prescribing after ARCR, as well as in lowering costs associated with ARCR.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 33-41
Author(s):  
Aamer Attaar, PharmD, BCPS ◽  
Molly Curran, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP ◽  
Lyndsi Meyenburg, PharmD, BCPS ◽  
Richard Bottner, DHA, PA-C ◽  
Clarissa Johnston, MD ◽  
...  

Objective: This study compared opioid utilization and clinical outcomes in surgical patients receiving maintenance buprenorphine therapy who discontinued versus those who continued buprenorphine treatment perioperatively. Lack of high-quality evidence, conflicting results in previous studies, and the possible need for reinduction after discontinuing therapy present clinicians with the complicated dilemma of choosing the best strategy to control post-operative pain in patients receiving buprenorphine.Design: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study.Participants: Hospitalized patients between January 1, 2017 and December 12, 2019 who underwent any type of surgery, had a documentation of an outpatient buprenorphine prescription or inpatient order, and received buprenorphine for 5 or more days prior to the procedure were included.Main outcome measure(s): The primary objective was to compare mean 24-hour morphine milligram equivalent (MME) utilization post-operatively between patients who discontinued buprenorphine preoperatively versus those who continued therapy throughout the perioperative period.Results: Fifty-one patients met the inclusion criteria for this study. Of these, 42 patients were continued on buprenorphine through surgery, while nine patients had a documentation of discontinuation preoperatively. The 24-hour post-operative MME utilization (interquartile range) was 58.8 (18-100.8) in patients who continued therapy through surgery versus 152.6 (114.5-236) in patients who discontinued therapy preoperatively (p = 0.005). There were no significant differences in post-operative pain scores or length of stay between groups.Conclusion: Post-operative opioid use was significantly lower in patients who continued buprenorphine compared with those who discontinued buprenorphine preoperatively. 


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Wilhelm

Pain after surgery is one of greatest complaints patients have in the surgical process. It is important to decrease pain after surgery to promote a quicker recovery and minimize complications. Opioids alone have been used to manage post-operative pain in cardiac surgery; However, recently multimodal approaches to pain management are now being explored. This approach involves using multiple medications with varying mechanisms of action for pain relief in addition to decreased adverse effects. Ofirmev (IV acetaminophen) is a relatively new medication for use in cardiac surgery that has few contraindications and side effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate if utilizing the current pain management approach in addition to Ofirmev impacted pain scores in post-operative cardiothoracic patients in a non-experimental retrospective chart review. A two group comparative chart review was conducted for a total of 30 charts to meet inclusion criteria. Group 1 (n=15) received opioid only for pain management were compared to Group 2 (n=15) who received Ofirmev and opioids for pain management after cardiac surgery. Results showed that pain scores at hour 6 and 24 showed significance in favor of Group 2, the Ofirmev group. Results also showed Group 2, the Ofirmev group, consumed less morphine on average than Group 1, opioid only. Unexpectedly, length of stay was on average longer for the Ofirmev group than the non- ofirmev group. The research supports the need to utilize multimodal pain management and alternative techniques to manage pain. This study shows there is a need for further research for pain management with a multimodal approach in cardiac surgery.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 2325967119S0008
Author(s):  
S. Clifton Willimon ◽  
Michael Busch ◽  
Melissa Christino ◽  
Belinda Schaafsma ◽  
Crystal Perkins

Background: The use and misuse of opioid medications has been declared an epidemic and public health emergency by the Centers for Disease Control. From 1999 – 2016, there was a 5-fold increase in overdose deaths secondary to opioids1. Pain control is an important component of post-operative care following orthopaedic surgery and opioid medications are commonly prescribed. The purpose of this study is to describe the average opioid use among adolescents following hip and knee arthroscopy. Methods: All patients less than 21 years of age undergoing ACL reconstruction, simple knee arthroscopy (plica and fat pad debridement, loose body removal, partial meniscectomy, or chondroplasty), and hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement were prospectively enrolled in this IRB-approved study. This is an interim report for an ongoing study with anticipated completion of enrollment in December 2018. All patients received hydrocodone-acetaminophen 5-325 mg for post-operative pain control. The number of pills prescribed was based on physician preference and was not dictated by the study. Patients and their families completed a medication logbook to track all doses of pain medication and associated pain scores. Risk factors for hydrocodone use following surgery were analyzed, including age, sex, race, pre-operative use of narcotic pain medications, surgical factors, and post-operative VAS pain scores. Results: A total of 65 patients were enrolled and completed the medication logbook, including 37 females and 28 males with a mean age of 15.6 years (range 7 – 20 years). Patients received a prescription for an average of 28 hydrocodone tablets (range 10 – 60) and 64 patients (98%) filled the prescription. The mean number and range of hydrocodone tablets consumed and remaining at the end of treatment and VAS pain scores at the time the patients consumed the pain medication are listed in the figure below. Forty-two patients (65%) reported one or more side effects from the hydrocodone, with the most common being drowsiness and constipation. There were no risk factors that predicted increased use of hydrocodone following ACL reconstruction or knee arthroscopy. Female sex and higher post-operative VAS pain scores predicted greater use of hydrocodone in patients following hip arthroscopy. Conclusions: Opioid medication use in adolescents following hip and knee arthroscopy is significantly less than the quantity of tablets prescribed, with 60% of the medication we prescribed remaining unused in the post-operative period. We recommend orthopaedic surgeons responsibly prescribe pain medications using evidence-based data or the results of their own experience monitoring medication consumption. Additionally, and important in the setting of the “opioid epidemic,” physicians must counsel patients and families of post-operative pain expectations and appropriate medication use. This study will provide the framework for the future development of educational resources regarding prescribing and use of pain medications for healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers. Wide-ranging online data for epidemiologic research (WONDER). Atlanta, GA: CDC, National Center for Health Statistics; 2017 [Table: see text]


Author(s):  
Jennifer A. McCoy ◽  
Sarah Gutman ◽  
Rebecca F. Hamm ◽  
Sindhu K. Srinivas

Objective This study was aimed to evaluate opioid use after cesarean delivery (CD) and to assess implementation of an enhanced recovery after CD (ERAS-CD) pathway and its association with inpatient and postdischarge pain control and opioid use. Study Design We conducted a baseline survey of women who underwent CD from January to March 2017 at a single, urban academic hospital. Patients were called 5 to 8 days after discharge and asked about their pain and postdischarge opioid use. An ERAS-CD pathway was implemented as a quality improvement initiative, including use of nonopioid analgesia and standardization of opioid discharge prescriptions to ≤25 tablets of oxycodone of 5 mg. From November to January 2019, a postimplementation survey was conducted to assess the association between this initiative and patients' pain control and postoperative opioid use, both inpatient and postdischarge. Results Data were obtained from 152 women preimplementation (PRE) and 137 women post-implementation (POST); complete survey data were obtained from 102 women PRE and 98 women POST. The median inpatient morphine milligram equivalents consumed per patient decreased significantly from 141 [range: 90–195] PRE to 114 [range: 45–168] POST (p = 0.002). On a 0- to 10-point scale, median patient-reported pain scores at discharge decreased significantly (PRE: 7 [range: 5–8] vs. POST 5 [range: 3–7], p < 0.001). The median number of pills consumed after discharge also decreased significantly (PRE: 25 [range: 16–30] vs. POST 17.5 [range: 4–25], p = 0.001). The number of pills consumed was significantly associated with number prescribed (p < 0.001). The median number of leftover pills and number of refills did not significantly differ between groups. Median patient-reported pain scores at the week after discharge were lower in the POST group (PRE: 4 [range: 2–6] vs. POST 3[range: 1–5], p = 0.03). Conclusion Implementing an ERAS-CD pathway was associated with a significant decrease in inpatient and postdischarge opioid consumption while improving pain control. Our data suggest that even fewer pills could be prescribed for some patients. Key Points


2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren K. Dunn ◽  
Marcel E. Durieux ◽  
Lucas G. Fernández ◽  
Siny Tsang ◽  
Emily E. Smith-Straesser ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEPerception of perioperative pain is influenced by various psychological factors. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of catastrophizing, anxiety, and depression on in-hospital opioid consumption, pain scores, and quality of recovery in adults who underwent spine surgery.METHODSPatients undergoing spine surgery were enrolled in this study, and the preoperatively completed questionnaires included the verbal rating scale (VRS), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Quality of recovery was assessed using the 40-item Quality of Recovery questionnaire (QoR40). Opioid consumption and pain scores according to the VRS were recorded daily until discharge.RESULTSOne hundred thirty-nine patients were recruited for the study, and 101 completed the QoR40 assessment postoperatively. Patients with higher catastrophizing scores were more likely to have higher maximum pain scores postoperatively (estimate: 0.03, SE: 0.01, p = 0.02), without increased opioid use (estimate: 0.44, SE: 0.27, p = 0.11). Preoperative anxiety (estimate: 1.18, SE: 0.65, p = 0.07) and depression scores (estimate: 1.06, SE: 0.71, p = 0.14) did not correlate with increased postoperative opioid use; however, patients with higher preoperative depression scores had lower quality of recovery after surgery (estimate: −1.9, SE: 0.56, p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONSCatastrophizing, anxiety, and depression play important roles in modulating postoperative pain. Preoperative evaluation of these factors, utilizing a validated tool, helps to identify patients at risk. This might allow for earlier psychological intervention that could reduce pain severity and improve the quality of recovery.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Marie-Jacqueline Reisener ◽  
Alexander P. Hughes ◽  
Ichiro Okano ◽  
Jiaqi Zhu ◽  
Artine Arzani ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE Opioid stewardship programs combine clinical, regulatory, and educational interventions to minimize inappropriate opioid use and prescribing for orthopedic and spine surgery. Most evaluations of stewardship programs quantify effects on prescriber behavior, whereas patient-relevant outcomes have been relatively neglected. The authors evaluated the impact of an opioid stewardship program on perioperative opioid consumption, prescribing, and related clinical outcomes after multilevel lumbar fusion. METHODS The study was based on a retrospective, quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design in 268 adult patients who underwent multilevel lumbar fusion in 2016 (preimplementation, n = 141) or 2019 (postimplementation, n = 127). The primary outcome was in-hospital opioid consumption (morphine equivalent dose [MED], mg). Secondary outcomes included numeric rating scale pain scores (0–10), length of stay (LOS), incidence of opioid-induced side effects (gastrointestinal, nausea/vomiting, respiratory, sedation, cognitive), and preoperative and discharge prescribing. Outcomes were measured continuously during the hospital admission. Differences in outcomes between the epochs were assessed in bivariable (Wilcoxon signed-rank or Fisher’s exact tests) and multivariable (Wald’s chi-square test) analyses. RESULTS In bivariable analyses, there were significant decreases in preoperative opioid use (46% vs 28% of patients, p = 0.002), preoperative opioid prescribing (MED 30 mg [IQR 20–60 mg] vs 20 mg [IQR 11–39 mg], p = 0.003), in-hospital opioid consumption (MED 329 mg [IQR 188–575 mg] vs 199 mg [100–372 mg], p < 0.001), the incidence of any opioid-related side effect (62% vs 50%, p = 0.03), and discharge opioid prescribing (MED 90 mg [IQR 60–135 mg] vs 60 mg [IQR 45–80 mg], p < 0.0001) between 2016 and 2019. There were no significant differences in postanesthesia care unit pain scores (4 [IQR 3–6] vs 5 [IQR 3–6], p = 0.33), nursing floor pain scores (4 [IQR 3–5] vs 4 [IQR 3–5], p = 0.93), or total LOS (118 hours [IQR 81–173 hours] vs 103 hours [IQR 81–132 hours], p = 0.21). On multivariable analysis, the opioid stewardship program was significantly associated with decreased discharge prescribing (Wald’s chi square = 9.45, effect size −52.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] −86 to −19.0, p = 0.002). The number of lumbar levels fused had the strongest effect on total opioid consumption during the hospital stay (Wald’s chi square = 16.53, effect size = 539, 95% CI 279.1 to 799, p < 0.001), followed by preoperative opioid use (Wald’s chi square = 44.04, effect size = 5, 95% CI 4 to 7, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS A significant decrease in perioperative opioid prescribing, consumption, and opioid-related side effects was found after implementation of an opioid stewardship program. These gains were achieved without adverse effects on pain scores or LOS. These results suggest the major impact of opioid stewardship programs for spine surgery may be on changing prescriber behavior.


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