Poor Postoperative Pain Control Research Articles

Poor postoperative pain control is associated with poor long-term patient-reported outcomes after elective spine surgery: an observational cohort study

BACKGROUND CONTEXTA significant proportion of patients experience poorly controlled surgical pain and fail to achieve satisfactory clinical improvement after spine surgery. However, a direct association between these variables has not been previously demonstrated. PURPOSETo investigate the association between poor postoperative pain control and patient-reported outcomes after spine surgery. STUDY DESIGNAmbispective cohort study. PATIENT SAMPLEConsecutive adult patients (≥18-years old) undergoing inpatient elective cervical or thoracolumbar spine surgery. OUTCOME MEASUREPoor surgical outcome was defined as failure to achieve a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 30% improvement on the Oswestry Disability Index or Neck Disability Index at follow-up (3-months, 1-year, and 2-years). METHODSPoor pain control was defined as a mean numeric rating scale score of >4 during the first 24-hours after surgery. Multivariable mixed-effects regression was used to investigate the relationship between poor pain control and changes in surgical outcomes while adjusting for known confounders. Secondarily, the Calgary Postoperative Pain After Spine Surgery (CAPPS) Score was investigated for its ability to predict poor surgical outcome. RESULTSOf 1294 patients, 47.8%, 37.3%, and 39.8% failed to achieve the MCID at 3-months, 1-year, and 2-years, respectively. The incidence of poor pain control was 56.9%. Multivariable analyses showed poor pain control after spine surgery was independently associated with failure to achieve the MCID (OR 2.35 [95% CI=1.59–3.46], p<.001) after adjusting for age (p=.18), female sex (p=.57), any nicotine products (p=.041), ASA physical status >2 (p<.001), ≥3 motion segment surgery (p=.008), revision surgery (p=.001), follow-up time (p<.001), and thoracolumbar surgery compared to cervical surgery (p=.004). The CAPPS score was also found to be independently predictive of poor surgical outcome. CONCLUSIONPoor pain control in the first 24-hours after elective spine surgery was an independent risk factor for poor surgical outcome. Perioperative treatment strategies to improve postoperative pain control may lead to improved patient-reported surgical outcomes.

Greater Mental Health Burden is Associated With Poor Postoperative Pain Control and Increased Opioid Utilization Following Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

Prolonged opioid use is associated with higher complications and worse patient-reported outcomes following total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). Identified risk factors for prolonged postoperative use are related to several medical comorbidities, gender, diagnoses of anxiety or depressive disorders, and preoperative opioid use. In this study, we hypothesized that patient-reported mental health characteristics can help to identify patients at risk of worse postoperative pain control, worse sleep, and higher opioid utilization following TSA. Ninety-three consecutive patients were asked to fill out 2 mental health questionnaires prior to undergoing TSA. Following surgery, patients filled out a daily pain diary to track their daily pain, pain medication use, and quality and duration of their sleep for 30 days. Preoperative opioid use and postoperative refill were determined by the New York State Prescription Monitoring Program. Mixed-model linear regressions were conducted. Significance was defined as p < 0.05. Postoperative opioid refill was associated with female gender, preoperative opioid therapy, higher inpatient opioid use, worse anxiety, depression, somatization, and pain catastrophizing scores. The number of days using opioids postoperatively was associated with worse pain catastrophizing scale (PCS) and somatization scores (patient health questionnaire-15). Preoperative opioid therapy was associated with worse somatization scores, whereas no opioids used after surgery were associated with better somatization scores. Worse sleep quality and duration were associated with worse PCS scores. A greater mental health burden is associated with worse postoperative pain control and higher opioid utilization during the acute postoperative period. This is especially evident in the pain catastrophizing and somatization domains.

Impact of preoperative insomnia on poor postoperative pain control after elective spine surgery and the modified Calgary postoperative pain after spine surgery (MCAPPS) score

BackgroundApproximately 30% to 64% of patients experience inadequate pain control following spine surgery. The Calgary postoperative pain after spine surgery (CAPPS) score was developed to identify this subset of patients. The impact of preoperative insomnia on postoperative pain control is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between preoperative insomnia and poor pain control after spine surgery, as well as improve the predictive accuracy of the CAPPS score. MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted in patients undergoing elective spine surgery. Poor pain control was defined as a mean numeric rating scale pain score >4 at rest within the first 24-hours after surgery. Patients were evaluated using the CAPPS score, which included 7 prognostic factors. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to examine the association between preoperative insomnia severity index (ISI) and poor pain control, adjusting for the CAPPS score. The Modified CAPPS score was derived from this model. ResultsOf 219 patients, 49.7% experienced poorly controlled pain. Prevalence of clinical insomnia (ISI≥15) was 26.9%. Preoperative ISI was independently associated with poor pain control (odds ratio [OR] 1.09, [95%CI=1.03–1.16], p=.004), after adjusting for the CAPPS score (OR 1.61, [95%CI=1.38–1.89], p<.001). The model exhibited good discrimination (c-statistics 0.80, [95%CI=0.74–0.86]) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-square=8.95, p=.35). The Modified CAPPS score also demonstrated good discrimination (c-statistic 0.78, [95%CI=0.72–0.84]) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-square=2.92, p=.57). Low-, high-, and extreme-risk groups stratified by the Modified CAPPS score had 17.3%, 49.1%, and 80.7% predicted probability of experiencing inadequate pain control compared to 32.0%, 64.0%, and 85.1% in the CAPPS score. ConclusionsPreoperative insomnia is prevalent and is a modifiable risk factor for poor pain control following spine surgery. Early identification and management of preoperative insomnia may lead to improved postoperative pain outcomes. Future external validation is needed to confirm the accuracy of the Modified CAPPS score.

F.4 Relationship between poor postoperative pain control and surgical outcomes after elective spine surgery

Background: Inadequate pain control after spine surgery is common, but its impact on long-term surgical outcomes has not been studied. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between poor postoperative pain control and surgical outcomes. Methods: Consecutive adult patients undergoing elective spine surgery were enrolled. Poor surgical outcome was defined as failure to achieve a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 30% improvement on the Oswestry Disability Index or Neck Disability Index at follow-up (3-months, 1-year, 2-years). Poor pain control was defined as a mean numeric rating scale score of &gt;4 within 24-hours postoperatively. Univariable analyses followed by multivariable random-effects models were used, after adjusting for known risk factors that impact surgical outcomes. Results: 42.8% of 1305 patients failed to achieve MCID at follow-up. 56.9% had poor postoperative pain control. Poor pain control was independently associated with failure to achieve MCID (OR 2.15 [95%CI=1.42-3.25], p&lt;0.001), after adjusting for age (p=0.15), sex (p=0.59), PHQ-9 score (p=0.030), ASA physical status &gt;2 (p&lt;0.001), ≥3 motion segment surgery (p=0.003), revision surgery (p=0.032), and follow-up time (p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: Poor pain control 24-hours after elective spine surgery was an independent risk factor for poor surgical outcome. Perioperative strategies to improve pain control may lead to improved outcomes.

Validation of the Calgary Postoperative Pain after Spine Surgery Score for Poor Postoperative Pain Control after Spine Surgery.

The Calgary Postoperative Pain after Spine Surgery (CAPPS) score was developed to identify patients at risk of experiencing poorly controlled pain after spine surgery. The goal of this study was to independently validate the CAPPS score on a prospectively collected patient sample. Poor postoperative pain control was defined as a mean numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain >4 at rest in the first 24 hours after surgery. Baseline characteristics in this study (validation cohort) were compared to those of the development cohort used to create the CAPPS score. Predictive performance of the CAPPS score was assessed by the area under the curve (AUC) and percentage misclassification for discrimination. A graphical comparison between predicted probability vs. observed incidence of poorly controlled pain was performed for calibration. Fifty-two percent of 201 patients experienced poorly controlled pain. The validation cohort exhibited lower depression scores and a higher proportion using daily opioid medications compared to the development cohort. The AUC was 0.74 [95%CI = 0.68-0.81] in the validation cohort compared to 0.73 [95%CI = 0.69-0.76] in the development cohort for the eight-tier CAPPS score. When stratified between the low- vs. extreme-risk and low- vs. high-risk groups, the percentage misclassification was 21.2% and 30.7% in the validation cohort, compared to 29.9% and 38.0% in the development cohort, respectively. The predicted probability closely mirrored the observed incidence of poor pain control across all scores. The CAPPS score, based on seven easily obtained and reliable prognostic variables, was validated using a prospectively collected, independent sample of patients.

The Efficacy and Safety of Regional Nerve Blocks in Total Knee Arthroplasty: Systematic Review and Direct Meta-Analysis

BackgroundRegional nerve blocks are widely used in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) to reduce postoperative pain and opioid consumption. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of regional nerve blocks after TKA in support of the combined clinical practice guidelines of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Hip Society, Knee Society, and American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management. MethodsWe searched MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for studies published before March 24, 2020 on femoral nerve block, adductor canal block, and infiltration between Popliteal Artery and Capsule of Knee in primary TKA. All included studies underwent qualitative and quantitative homogeneity testing followed by a systematic review and direct comparison meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of the regional nerve blocks compared to a control, local peri-articular anesthetic infiltration (PAI), or between regional nerve blocks. ResultsCritical appraisal of 1,673 publications yielded 56 publications representing the best available evidence for analysis. Femoral nerve and adductor canal blocks are effective at reducing postoperative pain and opioid consumption, but femoral nerve blocks are associated with quadriceps weakness. Use of a continuous compared to single shot adductor canal block can improve postoperative analgesia. No difference was noted between an adductor canal block or PAI regarding postoperative pain and opioid consumption, but the combination of both may be more effective. ConclusionSingle shot adductor canal block or PAI should be used to reduce postoperative pain and opioid consumption following TKA. Use of a continuous adductor canal block or a combination of single shot adductor canal block and PAI may improve postoperative analgesia in patients with concern of poor postoperative pain control.

Spinal anesthesia versus general anesthesia for percutaneous nephrolithotomy surgeries - a prospective study

Background: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is a minimally invasive surgery for extracting renal and urinary stones, and a choice modality in large, multiple, and stag-horn stones. Anaesthesia for PCNL can be general or regional. Despite good results of PNCL with general anaesthesia, it may cause atelectasis, drug reactions, nausea, and vomiting. General anaesthesia (GA) has its limitations in the form of poor postoperative pain control, greater incidence of nausea and vomiting, prolonged recovery stays and prolonged hospitalizations.Methods: The study was performed in a tertiary care centre. A prospective, randomised study including 60 patients divided into 2 groups. Data collection tools included study proforma, numerical rating scale (NRS) scores and visual analog scale (VAS) scores. Data analysed using science and statistical packaged (SPSS) version 21, independent t tests and z-test for proportion.Results: The demographic data when statistically analysed showed no statistically significant differences between the groups. Haemoglobin percentage (Hb%) was significantly lower in GA group. Spinal anaesthesia (SA) group showed lower VAS and NRS scores hence lower requirement of pain relief and antiemetics. The post-operative complications were insignificant.Conclusions: We concluded that SA is safe and effective method as an alternative method for PCNL surgeries.

Opioid Prescribing Patterns After Head and Neck Surgery

Postoperative prescription narcotics increase access to opioids and associated abuse among patients, family, and acquaintances. Judicious opioid stewardship is required. Best practice questions remain for larger head and neck surgeries. We aim to review opioid utilization patterns in an urban patient population to identify patients at risk for poor postoperative pain control. Case series with planned chart review for patients undergoing head and neck surgery (2015-2018). Single urban hospital. Outcome measures included postoperative phone calls and emergency room visits as markers for inadequate pain control. Age, sex, race, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, comorbidities, prior narcotic filling behavior, surgery type, and duration were evaluated as potential risk factors for pain control. Chi-square and Wilcoxon tests were used for group comparisons. In total, 215 patients met inclusion criteria: male (22%), white/Hispanic (47%), and African American (44%). Median BMI was 31.6 kg/m2; median age was 52 years. Surgeries included total thyroidectomy (41%), hemithyroidectomy (27%), and parathyroidectomy (15%). The 23-hour observation patients (n = 175, 81%) had a median of 20 morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs). Sixteen patients experienced inadequate pain control. Female sex (P = .03), younger age (P = .02), current smoker (P = .03), and higher inpatient MME (P = .006) were associated with inadequate pain control. Female sex, younger age, smokers, and high inpatient opioid dose requirements are associated with inadequately controlled pain. These patients may benefit from additional education, earlier postoperative visits, and a more comprehensive nonopioid regimen.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Modifiable Risk Factor for Pain Catastrophizing After Total Joint Arthroplasty

BackgroundPatients with mood disorders undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA) are at increased risk for poor outcomes. This study seeks to examine the effect of anxiety disorders on pain following TJA and evaluate if anxiety disorders are a modifiable risk factor. MethodsBetween March 2019 and July 2020, 319 TJA patients had preoperative anxiety screening using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item screening tool (GAD-2) and 6-week postoperative Pain Catastrophizing Scale scores. Patients were organized into 4 cohorts based on preoperative selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor/serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSRI/SNRI) use and GAD-2 scores: Group 1: no SSRI/SNRI use and GAD-2 score <3 (control patients); Group 2: SSRI/SNRI use and GAD-2 score <3 (appropriately treated GAD patients); Group 3: no SSRI/SNRI use and GAD-2 score ≥3 (untreated GAD patients); and Group 4: SSRI/SNRI use and GAD-2 score ≥3 (poorly treated GAD patients). The cohorts underwent multivariate linear regression analysis and equivalence testing. ResultsPatients with preoperative GAD-2 scores ≥3 had worse postoperative pain with significantly higher average 6-week postoperative Pain Catastrophizing Scale score than patients with GAD-2 scores <3 (9.90 vs 5.19, P < .001). Patients with appropriately treated GAD and the control group had statistically equivalent postoperative pain, while patients with poorly treated or untreated GAD had worse postoperative pain. ConclusionPreoperative GAD is a risk factor for poor postoperative pain control but is a modifiable risk factor when patients are appropriately treated. Screening for preoperative GAD with GAD-2 and referral for treatment may improve patient outcomes and reduce opioid consumption following TJA.

Effect of Bilateral Ultrasound-Guided Quadratus Lumborum Block versus Lumbar Epidural Block on Postoperative Analgesia following Major Lower Abdominal Cancer Surgery

Background: Poor postoperative pain control leads to longer postoperative care, longer hospital stay and decreased patient overall satisfaction. Aim: To compare the efficacy and safety of bilateral ultrasound-guided quadratus lumborum block versus lumbar epidural block on the management of postoperative pain following major lower abdominal cancer surgery. Methods: The study was a double-blinded, and randomized study, conducted in South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Egypt. It included cancer patients scheduled for major lower abdominal cancer surgery in the period from 2019 to 2020. They were divided into two groups: Group Ι received pre-emptive ultrasound-guided Quadratus Lumborum Block (QLB) with 25 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine on each side of the abdominal wall before induction of General Anesthesia (GA), and Group II received pre-emptive lumbar epidural block with 15 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine before induction of GA. VAS score, and time of the first analgesic request and postoperative total analgesic consumption were evaluated. Results: Sixty patients were included in our study. VAS score at rest was comparable between both studied groups in the first 6 h. At 8 and 10 h, Group II had a significantly higher VAS score at rest (P Limitation: Small sample size and shorter period for postoperative follow-up. Conclusions: Management of postoperative pain following major lower abdominal cancer surgery with US-guided QLB was associated with the reduction in the total analgesic consumption and delayed the first request of analgesia as compared to lumbar epidural block technique.

Development and validation of a clinical prediction score for poor postoperative pain control following elective spine surgery.

Thirty percent to sixty-four percent of patients experience poorly controlled pain following spine surgery, leading to patient dissatisfaction and poor outcomes. Identification of at-risk patients before surgery could facilitate patient education and personalized clinical care pathways to improve postoperative pain management. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to develop and internally validate a prediction score for poorly controlled postoperative pain in patients undergoing elective spine surgery. A retrospective cohort study was performed in adult patients (≥ 18 years old) consecutively enrolled in the Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network registry. All patients underwent elective cervical or thoracolumbar spine surgery and were admitted to the hospital. Poorly controlled postoperative pain was defined as a mean numeric rating scale score for pain at rest of > 4 during the first 24 hours after surgery. Univariable analysis followed by multivariable logistic regression on 25 candidate variables, selected through a systematic review and expert consensus, was used to develop a prediction model using a random 70% sample of the data. The model was transformed into an eight-tier risk-based score that was further simplified into the three-tier Calgary Postoperative Pain After Spine Surgery (CAPPS) score to maximize clinical utility. The CAPPS score was validated using the remaining 30% of the data. Overall, 57% of 1300 spine surgery patients experienced poorly controlled pain during the first 24 hours after surgery. Seven significant variables associated with poor pain control were incorporated into a prediction model: younger age, female sex, preoperative daily use of opioid medication, higher preoperative neck or back pain intensity, higher Patient Health Questionnaire-9 depression score, surgery involving ≥ 3 motion segments, and fusion surgery. Notably, minimally invasive surgery, body mass index, and revision surgery were not associated with poorly controlled pain. The model was discriminative (C-statistic 0.74, 95% CI 0.71-0.77) and calibrated (Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit, p = 0.99) at predicting the outcome. Low-, high-, and extreme-risk groups stratified using the CAPPS score had 32%, 63%, and 85% predicted probability of experiencing poorly controlled pain, respectively, which was mirrored closely by the observed incidence of 37%, 62%, and 81% in the validation cohort. Inadequate pain control is common after spine surgery. The internally validated CAPPS score based on 7 easily acquired variables accurately predicted the probability of experiencing poorly controlled pain after spine surgery.

Role of Spinal Cord Akt-mTOR Signaling Pathways in Postoperative Hyperalgesia Induced by Plantar Incision in Mice.

Poor postoperative pain (POP) control increases perioperative morbidity, prolongs hospitalization days, and causes chronic pain. However, the specific mechanism(s) underlying POP is unclear and the identification of optimal perioperative treatment remains elusive. Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) are expressed in the spinal cord, dorsal root ganglion, and sensory axons. In this study, we explored the role of Akt and mTOR in pain-related behaviors induced by plantar incision in mice. Plantar incision activated spinal Akt and mTOR in a dose-dependent manner. Pre-treatment with Akt inhibitors intrathecally prevented the activation of mTOR dose-dependently. In addition, blocking the Akt-mTOR signaling cascade attenuated pain-related behaviors and spinal Fos protein expression induced by plantar incision. Our observations demonstrate that Akt-mTOR might be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of POP.

Efficacy of local infiltration analgesia with ropivacaine for postoperative pain management in cervical laminoplasty: a retrospective study

Poor postoperative pain control impairs patient recovery and lengthens the duration of hospitalization after various surgeries. Local infiltration analgesia(LIA) has become an effective method for managing postoperative pain. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of LIA with ropivacaine for postoperative pain control after cervical laminoplasty. In total, 68 patients undergoing cervical laminoplasty were included for retrospective review and divided into ropivacaine and control groups. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score, postoperative analgesic consumption, operative duration, intraoperative blood loss volume, incision length, hospitalization duration and incidence of complications were analyzed. In the ropivacaine group, the VAS score was 3.2 ± 1.4 at 4 hours postoperatively, which was lower than that of the control group(4.0 ± 1.4, P = 0.024). At 8, 12 and 24 hours after surgery, a significant difference was detected in the VAS score between the two groups(P ≤ 0.015). Sufentanil consumption was less in the ropivacaine group than in the control group in the first 4 hours postoperatively (25.6 ± 6.3 µg vs 32.2 ± 6.8 µg, P < 0.001), and similar results were observed in the first 8, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours postoperatively(P < 0.001). Fewer patients required rescue analgesia in the ropivacaine group(8/33 vs 18/35 at 4–8 hours, P = 0.021; 9/33 vs 21/35 at 8–12 hours, P = 0.007). The hospitalization duration and time to ambulation were shorter in the ropivacaine group(8.5 ± 1.4 vs 9.6 ± 1.6 for postoperative duration, P = 0.002; 2.9 ± 0.7 vs 3.5 ± 0.8 for time to ambulation, P = 0.001). The incidence of nausea and vomiting was lower in the ropivacaine group than in the control group(30.3% vs 54.3%, P = 0.046). In conclusion, LIA with ropivacaine could effectively reduce postoperative pain, and postoperative analgesic consumption, and promote recovery after cervical laminoplasty.

The Effects of Adjunctive Pain Medications on Postoperative Inpatient Opioid Use in Abdominally Based Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction.

The purposes of this study were to quantify the amount of opioid medication used postoperatively in the hospital setting after abdominally based microsurgical breast reconstruction, to determine factors that are associated with increased opioid use, and to identify other adjunctive medications that may contribute to decreased opioid use. An electronic medical record data pull was performed at the University of Pennsylvania from November 2016 to October 2018. Cases were identified using Current Procedural Terminology code 19364. Only traditional recovery after surgery protocol patients were included. Patient comorbidities, surgical details, and pain scores were captured. Postoperative medications including non-patient-controlled analgesia opioid use and adjunctive nonopioid pain medications were recorded. Non-patient-controlled analgesia total opioid use was calculated and converted to oral morphine milligram equivalents (mme). Statistical analysis was performed using t test analyses and linear regression. A total of 328 patients satisfied our inclusion criteria. Five hundred forty free flaps were performed (212 bilateral vs 116 unilateral, 239 immediate vs 89 delayed). Bilateral patients used on average 115.2 mme (95% confidence interval [CI], 103.4-127.0 mme) compared with 89.0 mme in unilateral patients (95% CI, 70.0-108.0 mme; P = 0.015). Patients with abdominal mesh placement (n = 249) required 113.0 mme (95% CI, 100.5-125.5 mme) compared with 83.8 mme (95% CI, 68.8-98.7 mme) for patients without mesh (n = 79; P = 0.016). Each additional hour of surgery increased postoperative mme by 9.4 (P < 0.01). Patients with a nonzero preoperative pain score required 100.3 mme (95% CI, 90.2-110.4 mme) compared with 141.1 mme (95% CI, 102.7-179.7 mme) for patients with preoperative pain score greater than 0/10 (P < 0.01). Patients with postoperative index pain score ≤5/10 required 89.2 mme (95% CI, 78.6-99.8 mme) compared with 141.1 mme (95% CI, 119.9-162.2 mme) for patients with postoperative index pain score >5/10 (P < 0.01). After regression analysis, a dose of intravenous acetaminophen 1000 mg was found to decrease postoperative mme by 11.7 (P = 0.024). A dose of oral ibuprofen 600 mg was found to decrease postoperative mme by 8.3 (P < 0.01). Bilateral reconstruction and longer surgery resulted in increased postoperative mme. Patients with no preoperative pain required less opioids than did patients with preexisting pain. Patients with good initial postoperative pain control required less opioids than did patients with poor initial postoperative pain control. Intravenous acetaminophen and oral ibuprofen were found to significantly decrease postoperative mme.

Analgesic efficacy of continuous subcutaneous presternal bupivacaine infusion vs ultrasound-guided bilateral pectoral nerve block in poststernotomy pain

Background The most common cause of pain after cardiac surgery is median sternotomy. Poor postoperative (PO) pain control has serious effect on pulmonary and cardiovascular systems and induces stress and hyperglycemia. Good PO analgesia helps early recovery and discharge. Aim The primary aim was to compare analgesic efficacy of continuous presternal bupivacaine infusion and ultrasound-guided bilateral pectoral nerve 2 block (Pec 2). The secondary aim was to evaluate their efficacy in controlling respiratory parameters, duration of PO ventilation, ICU stay, and hospital stay. Patients and methods A total of 100 patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists status II were randomly divided into group I, which received continuous presternal bupivacaine infusion, and group II, which received ultrasound bilateral Pec 2 block. PO visual analog scale (VAS) was recorded at extubation, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h. Pain severity was divided into four grades: no pain, VAS less than 4; mild, VAS 4–5; moderate, VAS 6–7; and severe, VAS greater than 7. Morphine, bupivacaine consumption (mg), and number of request of analgesia in first PO 24 h and inspiratory flow rate (IFR) (l/min) at extubation, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h were recorded. Arterial blood gas parameters were recorded at extubation, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h. Duration of PO ventilation (min), ICU stay (h), and hospital stay (days) were recorded. Results PO VAS, pain severity, IFR, and arterial oxygen tension/inspired oxygen fraction (PaO2/FIO2) were significantly higher in group II at all study times. Morphine, bupivacaine consumption, and number of request of analgesia in first PO 24 h were significantly higher in group I. Duration of PO ventilation, ICU stay, and hospital stay were significantly longer in group I. Conclusion First, Pec 2 block was safe and effective in controlling sternotomy pain with lower VAS and pain severity, less bupivacaine, morphine consumption, and less request of PO analgesia. Second, Pec 2 block showed better IFR and PaO2/FIO2, with shorter duration of PO ventilation, ICU stay, and hospital stay.

Development and Validation of a Clinical Prediction Score for Poor Postoperative Pain Control Following Elective Spine Surgery

Abstract INTRODUCTION Approximately, 30% to 64% of people suffer from poorly controlled pain following spine surgery leading to patient dissatisfaction and poor outcomes. The ability to identify these patients before surgery may be useful to facilitate patient education and the development of personalized clinical-care pathways to improve postoperative pain management. METHODS Adult patients were consecutively enrolled through the Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network registry and were included if they underwent inpatient elective cervical or thoracolumbar spine surgery. The outcome was poor postoperative pain control defined as the mean numeric rating scale for pain &gt;4 in the first 24-h after surgery. A split-sample design was used to develop and validate the prediction model. The prediction model was transformed into a risk-based score and simplified to a 3-tier Calgary Postoperative Pain after Spine Surgery (CAPPS) score to maximize clinical utility. RESULTS Of 1300 patients, 57% had poorly controlled pain following spine surgery. Seven significant predictors were associated with poor pain control: younger age, female sex, preoperative daily opioid medication use, higher preoperative neck or back pain intensity, higher PHQ-9 depression score, &gt; = 3 motion segment operation, and fusion surgery. Notably, chronic pain and minimally invasive surgery were not associated with pain control status. The model was discriminative (c-statistics 0.74 [95% CI = 0.71-0.77]) and accurate (Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit, P = .99) at predicting the outcome. Patients classified to low-, high-, and extreme-risk groups by the CAPPS score had 32%, 63%, and 85% predicted probability of developing poor postoperative pain control, respectively. This closely mirrored the observed probability of 37%, 62%, and 81% in the same risk-groups for poor pain control in the validation cohort. CONCLUSION This internally validated CAPPS score based on 7 easily acquired characteristics accurately predicted the probability of developing poor pain control after spine surgery. This score can be used to develop personalized preoperative and perioperative treatment strategies to improve pain outcomes.

Arts on tailored postoperative analgesia after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been widely used in recent decades. However, VATS, although different from an open thoracotomy, causes intense pain (1,2). In some individuals, it remains one of the most painful surgical procedures possible. Poor postoperative pain control after VATS may prolong hospitalization duration and result in the development of chronic persistent pain after surgery (3) However, for different pain sensations after VATS, multimodal analgesia, with or without conventional thoracic epidural or paravertebral analgesia, has become the mainstay for achieving adequate analgesia.

Preoperative predictors of poor acute postoperative pain control: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectivesInadequate postoperative pain control is common and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. This study aimed to identify preoperative predictors of poor postoperative pain control in adults undergoing inpatient surgery.DesignSystematic...

120 Preoperative Predictors of Poor Postoperative Pain Control

120 Preoperative Predictors of Poor Postoperative Pain Control

P.121 Preoperative predictors of poor postoperative pain control: systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Inadequate postoperative pain control is common and is associated with negative clinical outcomes. The objective is to identify preoperative predictors of poor postoperative pain control in the adult population undergoing inpatient surgery. Methods: Meta-analysis was performed according to MOOSE guidelines. Studies were included if they evaluated postoperative pain using a validated instrument in adults undergoing inpatient surgery and reported a measure of association between poor postoperative pain control and at least one preoperative predictor. Measures of association were pooled using random effects models. Results: A total of 33 studies representing 59,259 patients were included. Significant preoperative predictors of poor postoperative pain included sleeping difficulties (OR 2.32 [95% CI 1.46-3.69]), history of depressive symptoms (OR 1.71 [95% CI 1.32-2.22]), use of preoperative analgesia (OR 1.54 [95% CI 1.18-2.03]), smoking (OR 1.33 [95% CI 1.09-1.61]), -female sex (OR 1.29 [95% CI 1.17-1.43]), presence of preoperative pain (OR 1.21 [95% CI 1.10-1.32]], history of anxiety symptoms (OR 1.22 [95% CI 1.09-1.36)], younger age (OR 1.18 [95% CI 1.05-1.32)], and higher BMI (OR 1.02 [95% CI 1.01-1.03]). Conclusions: Nine significant predictors of poor postoperative pain control were identified and these should be recognized as important factors when developing pre- and peri-operative strategies to improve pain outcomes.