Treatment Of Postoperative Pain Research Articles

Anesthesia management and patient outcomes in robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery: A single center experience

Robotic surgical techniques aimed to improve patient outcomes and satisfy patient outcomes while reducing surgical morbidity and mortality. One of the most performed surgeries, robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALRP), is characterized by many factors such as steep Trendelenburg position, and challenging access to the patient. We planned to evaluate anesthesia management and postoperative patient outcomes in RALRP. Patients planned for RALRP between January 2017 and June 2021 were included. Demographic data, additional diseases and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) of the patients were recorded. The methods used in anesthesia maintenance, muscle relaxant and sugammadex dose, postoperative pain treatment protocol, duration of anesthesia and surgery, length of stay (LOS) in ICU or hospital, early postoperative complications and Clavien Dindo Classification (CDC) were evaluated by examining the follow-up forms in the intraoperative and postoperative period. Two hundred and sixteen patients underwent robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery between January 2017 and June 2021 and, 141 of them (65.3%) had RALRP. The mean age of the patients was 62.38±6.94, the body mass index was 27.60±3.94, and the mean CCI was 4.08±0.93. Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) (n=108, 76.6%) was mostly used for anesthesia maintenance. The median time spent during anesthesia was 278.5±63.6 minutes. The median time for surgery was 239.5±65.9 minutes. According to the CDC, grade-I was 5.7%, grade-II was 2.1%, grade-IVa 7.8%. The most common complication was acute kidney injury (11, 7.8%), followed by atelectasis (4, 2.8%). 98.6% of all patients were sent to the ward from PACU, except two. The mean LOS in hospital was 4.57±2.34 days. Robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is most performed surgery among all robotic surgeries. We think that, patient optimization and communication between surgeon and anesthesiologist is crucial to avoid the negative effects of steep Trendelenburg position and pneumoperitoneum in terms of improving outcome.

Comparison of Intrathecal Bupivacaine with Clonidine Versus Intrathecal Bupivacaine with Fentanyl for Post-operative Pain Treatment in Lower Limb Procedures

Background: One of the anaesthesiologist's key goals during spinal anaesthesia is to keep the body physiology as close to normal as feasible. As we all know, subarachnoid block causes significant hemodynamic changes, especially in trauma and elderly individuals. Sympathetic nervous system denervation, skeletal muscle weakness, or loss of proprioception are not linked to neuraxial opioids. They primarily operate on the receptors found in the substantia gelatinosa of the spinal cord to exert their synergistic analgesic impact on visceral pain. Opioids and local anaesthetics delivered intrathecally have a powerful synergistic analgesic effect. A 2 adrenergic agonist, Clonidine is sometimes used as a local anaesthetic adjuvant with mixed effects. The effects of intrathecal Clonidine vs Fentanyl with 0.5 percent hyperbaric bupivacaine on postoperative analgesic duration and adverse effects were compared.
 Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of 0.5 percent hyperbaric bupivacaine with Clonidine (75 gs) vs Fentanyl (25 gs) for spinal anaesthesia in patients undergoing lower limb procedures, as well as the postoperative pain alleviation and adverse effects in both groups.
 Methods: This was a prospective study involving 80 patients who were scheduled for elective lower limb surgery under spinal anaesthesia. The participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group C (15mg 0.5 percent bupivacaine + 75gs Clonidine) or Group F (15mg 0.5 percent bupivacaine + 25gs Fentanyl).
 Results: We discovered a time delay in the start of sensory and motor block in group C after assessing the outcomes of our investigation. Group C's sensory and motor block lasted significantly longer compared to group F. The average duration of analgesia in groups C and F was 234.7529.71 minutes and 170.8732.38 minutes, respectively. Compared to group C, the demand for rescue analgesics was higher in group F throughout 24 hours. Bradycardia affected 12 individuals in group C, while pruritus affected 12 patients in group F. Five of the patients in group F experienced nausea.
 Conclusion: In compared to 25gs Fentanyl, adjuvant use of Clonidine 75gs with hyperbaric bupivacaine prolongs the duration of both sensory and motor blockage, as well as the length of analgesia postoperatively, without generating substantial hemodynamic compromise or other side effects.

Translational Pharmacokinetic–Pharmacodynamic Modeling of NaV1.7 Inhibitor MK-2075 to Inform Human Efficacious Dose

MK-2075 is a small-molecule selective inhibitor of the NaV1.7 channel investigated for the treatment of postoperative pain. A translational strategy was developed for MK-2075 to quantitatively interrelate drug exposure, target modulation, and the desired pharmacological response in preclinical animal models for the purpose of human translation. Analgesics used as a standard of care in postoperative pain were evaluated in preclinical animal models of nociceptive behavior (mouse tail flick latency and rhesus thermode heat withdrawal) to determine the magnitude of pharmacodynamic (PD) response at plasma concentrations associated with efficacy in the clinic. MK-2075 was evaluated in those same animal models to determine the concentration of MK-2075 required to achieve the desired level of response. Translation of MK-2075 efficacious concentrations in preclinical animal models to a clinical PKPD target in humans was achieved by accounting for species differences in plasma protein binding and in vitro potency against the NaV1.7 channel. Estimates of human pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters were obtained from allometric scaling of a PK model from preclinical species and used to predict the dose required to achieve the clinical exposure. MK-2075 exposure–response in a preclinical target modulation assay (rhesus olfaction) was characterized using a computational PKPD model which included a biophase compartment to account for the observed hysteresis. Translation of this model to humans was accomplished by correcting for species differences in PK NaV1.7 potency, and plasma protein binding while assuming that the kinetics of distribution to the target site is the same between humans and rhesus monkeys. This enabled prediction of the level of target modulation anticipated to be achieved over the dosing interval at the projected clinical efficacious human dose. Integration of these efforts into the early development plan informed clinical study design and decision criteria.

Post-Operative Analgesia with Preventive and Post-Operative Rectal Diclofenac in Patients undergoing Caesarean Section Under Spinal Anesthesia: A Comparative Study

Background and aims: To study the analgesic efficacy of preventive rectal Diclofenac in comparison to post-operative rectal Diclofenac in elective caesarean section surgeries. Methodology: After obtaining approval from institution ethics committee, patients undergoing elective caesarean section under spinal anesthesia were included in the study and divided into two groups ED(Early Diclofenac) & LD(Late Diclofenac), differing in the time of administration of first dose of 100mg rectal Diclofenac. Pain scores were noted at 12 & 24 hours post administration of first dose of rectal Diclofenac, using the numerical rating score. Rescue analgesia was given in form of Tramadol infusion. Time to first rescue analgesia, postoperative pain scores at 12& 24 hours, cumulative opioid requirements and side effects if any were noted. Results: We observed a statistically significant difference in the time to first rescue analgesia between the two groups. There was no statistically significant difference in the average pain scores, cumulative opioid requirements and side effects between the two groups. Conclusion: Rectal Diclofenac is an effective modality for treatment of postoperative pain after caesarean section. Preventive rectal Diclofenac, in comparison to postoperative Diclofenac significantly prolongs the duration to first rescue analgesia. The two groups did not differ significantly in the cumulative opioid consumption at 24 hours. There was no statistically significant difference in pain scores at 12 and 24 hours between the two groups. The average pain scores in both groups were around 3/10.

Pain Following Endoscopic Foreheadplasty Surgery in Women.

Endoscopic foreheadplasty surgery (EFS) is a common procedure; however, little has been reported about the nature or treatment of postoperative headache pain and associated symptoms. The objective of this study was to describe the intensity, quality, location, and duration of headache pain in women following EFS. We also compared post-EFS symptoms with migraine, described medication use and efficacy, and measured emotional and functional outcomes. This descriptive study used an observational repeated-measures design. Forty-two women (mean [standard deviation] age, 59.0 [7.9] years) undergoing EFS were prospectively recruited from 12 private cosmetic practices in 3 California counties. Telephone interviews with the Acute Short-Form 12v2 and the Headache Pain Questionnaire were conducted on postoperative days (POD) 1, 3, 7, and 30. On POD 1, 93% reported at least moderate pain and 64% severe pain. Severe pain was characterized as throbbing (71%), sharp (53%), dull (76%), exploding (41%), imploding (53%), continuous (53%), or intermittent (41%) on POD 1. Moderate pain was most frequent on POD 3 (21%) compared to POD 1 (19%), 7 (12%) and 30 (12%). Mild pain predominated on POD 3 (40%) and 7 (40%), with 20% remaining on POD 30. The majority (79%) of post-EFS symptoms included light sensitivity and nausea, and therefore met most International Classification of Headache Disorders criteria for migraine. Analgesic use provided inconsistent relief. Functional and emotional status did not return to baseline throughout the 30-day postoperative period. Immediately following EFS, most women experience moderate to severe headache pain, despite use of medications. Pain persists in many patients for up to 1 month. Headache is associated with migraine symptoms, including light sensitivity and nausea.

Postoperative pain treatment after lumbar discectomy. Aprotocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

Patients undergoing lumbar discectomy usually suffer from moderate to severe pain during the postoperative period. Multimodal, or balanced analgesia, is the leading treatment principle for managing postoperative pain. The rationale is to achieve optimal pain treatment through additive or synergistic effects of several non-opioid analgesics, and thereby, reducing the need for postoperative opioids, facilitating early mobilization and functional rehabilitation. For discectomy surgery, evidence of both the benefit and harm of different analgesic interventions is unclear. This systematic review aims to investigate the benefits and harms of analgesic interventions in adult patients after lumbar discectomy. This protocol for a systematic review is written according to The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols guidelines. We will search The Cochrane Library's CENTRAL, PubMed, EMBASE, and ClinicalTrails.gov for published and ongoing trials. All randomized clinical trials assessing the postoperative analgesics effect of an intervention with a control or no-intervention group undergoing lumbar discectomy will be included. Two authors will independently screen trials for inclusion using Covidence, extract data and assess the risk of bias using Cochrane's risk-of-bias 2 tool. We will analyse the data using Review Manager and Trial Sequential Analysis. Meta-analysis will be performed according to the Cochrane guidelines. We will present our primary findings in a 'summary of findings' table and evaluate the overall certainty of evidence using the GRADE approach. This systematic review will assess the benefits and harms of analgesic interventions after lumbar discectomy and have the potential to improve best practices and advance research.

Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation for Treatment of Chronic Upper Abdominal Pain: A Case Report

BACKGROUND: The use of dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRGS) has been widely reported in the treatment of inguinal and groin pain, post-herniorrhaphy pain. The use of the DRGS has more recently been proposed for upper abdominal symptoms. In this case report, we detail the potential use of dorsal root ganglion stimulation for the treatment of postoperative right upper quadrant abdominal pain. CASE REPORT: A 55 year-old female with history of pancreatic cancer with multiple abdominal surgeries including Whipple procedure. The patient presented to an outpatient interventional pain clinic with chronic upper abdominal pain symptoms. Recent gastrointestinal and spinal work-up was unremarkable. Having exhausted all conservative measures the patient was offered DRGS trial. The trial leads were placed at the right T7 and T8 dorsal root ganglion. The procedure was performed with conscious sedation and was well-tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRGS) presents a unique method of capturing upper abdominal visceral pain symptoms. The efficacy of DRGS offers another option in addition to conventional treatment, as well as dorsal column spinal cord stimulation (DC-SCS). Due in part to its use of selective dermatomal distribution of sensory perception one can reliably target a specific region of the abdomen where DC-SCS may not. KEY WORDS: Dorsal root ganglion stimulation, neuromodulation, abdominal pain, chronic pain

Patient-Experienced Quality During Postoperative Pain Management - A Phenomenological-Hermeneutic Study

PurposeThe aim of this study was to describe an in-depth understanding of patients’ experiences and perspectives after use of the erector spinae plane block (ESP) in patients undergoing laparoscopic hemicolectomy due to malignant disease. Knowledge gained throughout the study aimed to ensure increased patient-experienced quality, patient safety and adequate post-surgery pain treatment. DesignA qualitative approach based on a phenomenological-hermeneutic framework inspired by Paul Ricoeur's perspectives was used. MethodsThe empirical material consisted of 11 semi-structured individual interviews with patients, who underwent laparoscopic hemicolectomy and received an ESP block as postoperative pain treatment. FindingsFour themes emerged during the analysis and represent the findings: (1)"The significance of the pain for everyday life", in which everyday life and social relations emerged as fundamental for patients' experience of pain and pain management; (2) "Joy and anxiety - two opposites" showed experiences of conflicting feelings causing uncertainty and insecurity (3); The theme "Painlessness - or not?" showed experiences of satisfaction with the ESP block and how patients considered the time perspective of having pain as an element of further insecurity; (4)"Losing control over one's own life" demonstrated how patients tried regaining control over their own lives during pain and after surgery. ConclusionsThe findings indicate that the majority of patients were happy with the ESP block because among other things, it reduced the need for rescue medicine including side-effects. Because of an acceptable pain intensity, patients paid more attention to other factors associated with their surgical intervention. Adequate pain management was described as of great importance for their experience of well-being and increased quality of life.

New Persistent Opioid Use After Surgery: A Risk Factor for Opioid Use Disorder?

New Persistent Opioid Use After Surgery: A Risk Factor for Opioid Use Disorder?

Open-Label Placebo Treatment for Acute Postoperative Pain (OLP-POP Study): Study Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Open-label placebos have been proposed as way of using long recognized analgesic placebo effects in an ethical manner. Recent evidence shows efficacy of open-label placebos for clinical conditions, but there is need for more research on open-label placebos in acute pain. In the treatment of acute postoperative pain, minimization of opioid related side effects remains one of the key challenges. Therefore, this study aims at investigating the potential of adding unconditioned open-label placebos to treatment as usual as a means of reducing opioid consumption and its related side effects in patients with acute postoperative pain.Methods and Analysis: This is the protocol of an ongoing single site randomized controlled trial. The first patient was enrolled in May 2020. In total, 70 patients suffering from acute postoperative pain following dorsal lumbar interbody fusion are randomized to either a treatment as usual group or an experimental intervention group. The treatment as usual group consists of participants receiving a patient-controlled morphine pump. On day 1 and 2 post-surgery, patients in the intervention group receive, in addition to treatment as usual, two open-label placebo injections per day along with an evidence-based treatment rationale explaining the mechanisms of placebos. The primary outcome is measured by means of self-administered morphine during day 1 and 2 post-surgery. Several other outcome measures including pain intensity and adverse events as well as potential predictors of placebo response are assessed. Analysis of covariance will be used to answer the primary research question and additional statistical techniques such as generalized linear mixed models will be applied to model the temporal course of morphine consumption.Discussion: This study will provide valuable insights into the efficacy of open-label placebos in acute pain and will potentially constitute an important step toward the implementation of open-label placebos in the clinical management of acute postoperative pain. In addition, it will shed light on a cost-efficient and patient-centered strategy to reduce opioid consumption and its related side effects, without any loss in pain management efficacy.Ethics and Dissemination: The “Ethikkommission Nordwest- und Zentralschweiz” (BASEC2020-00099) approved the study protocol. Results of the analysis will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.Clinical Trial Registration: The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04339023) and is listed in the Swiss national registry at kofam.ch (SNCTP000003720).

Postoperative analgesic effect of parecoxib sodium local anesthesia in patients with breast cancer through systematic review and meta-analysis.

Postoperative pain can seriously affect a patient's recovery, and parecoxib sodium has a good analgesic effect. However, there is a lack of clinically systematic analyses of the effects of parecoxib sodium on postoperative pain in breast cancer patients. The aim of the present study was to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of parecoxib sodium local anesthesia in the treatment of postoperative pain in breast cancer patients. Literature published from January 2010 to December 2020 was searched in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Wanfang database, PubMed, and Cochrane Library. Literature on randomized controlled trials of parecoxib sodium local anesthesia in patients with breast cancer was collected. Method of treatment was extracted and literature quality was assessed. Meta-analyses of included literature were performed using RevMan 5.3. A total of 17 randomized controlled trials were included, with a total of 1,032 breast cancer surgery patients. The experimental group was treated with parecoxib sodium anesthesia, and the control group was treated with other anesthesia methods. The meta-analysis results showed that there were obvious differences among visual analogue scale (VAS) score of the experimental group and control group 2 h after surgery [mean difference (MD): -0.79; 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.29 to -0.29; P=0.002], 4 h (MD =-0.77; 95% CI: =-1.51 to -0.03; P=0.04), 6 h (MD: -1.10; 95% CI: -1.41 to -0.80; P<0.00001), 8 h (MD: -0.66; 95% CI: -1.00 to -0.33; P=0.0001), 12 h (MD: -0.92; 95% CI: -1.24 to -0.60; P<0.00001), 24 h (MD: -0.86; 95% CI: -1.15 to -0.58; P<0.00001), and 48 h (MD: -0.90; 95% CI: -1.47 to -0.33; P=0.002). Moreover, visual analog scale score and the postoperative controlled analgesia frequency of patients in the experimental group (MD: -2.08; 95% CI: -2.88 to -1.27; P<0.00001) and the incidence of adverse reactions (odds ratio: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.34-0.80; P=0.002) were significantly reduced. Parecoxib sodium local anesthesia for breast cancer patients has good postoperative analgesia and treatment safety.

Cost-effectiveness of tapentadol immediate release versus oxycodone immediate release for acute post-operative pain after major hip surgeries

Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of tapentadol immediate-release (IR) versus oxycodone IR for post-operative pain after a major hip surgery. Methods This study has been conducted using an Australian societal perspective, focusing on adult patients after a major hip surgery. A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using a decision-analytic model. The model incorporated drug and other resource costs, the probability of opioid-related adverse events, and quality-adjusted life months (QALM) in each treatment arm. A willingness to pay (WTP) threshold of AU$2500 was used per QALM gained. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the uncertainty of the assumptions. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of tapentadol IR versus oxycodone IR, expressed as Australian dollars (AU$) per QALM gained. Results Tapentadol IR dominated oxycodone IR, with a cost savings of AU$201 and an increase in QALM by 0.014. The ICER was −13,946 AU$/QALM (negative value attributed to numerator). In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, 84.2% of the simulations were in favour of tapentadol IR at the WTP threshold. Conclusions Tapentadol IR may be more cost-effective than oxycodone IR for the treatment of acute postoperative pain after major hip surgeries.

Creating an operational definition for prolonged postoperative opioid use through the use of concept analysis

AimTo develop an evidence-based operational definition for Prolonged Postoperative Opioid Use (PPOU). BackgroundIn the United States, opioids are a mainstay of postoperative pain management, and are prescribed to over 90% of patients following surgery. Recent literature has highlighted the risk for prolonged postoperative opioid use (PPOU) after many surgical procedures. However, reported rates of PPOU vary greatly across studies, due in part to inconsistent operational definitions. Recent literature identified 29 distinct definitions for PPOU, which resulted in incidence ranging from 0.01% to 14.7% when applied to the same cohort of opioid naïve patients. MethodsWe followed the eight-step method described by Walker & Avant, using an iterative literature search process with the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Google Scholar. English-language peer-reviewed publications through August 2020 were included in the analysis. ResultsThe four defining attributes of PPOU are (1) use of opioids greater than 90 days following surgery, (2) treatment of postoperative (non-cancer) pain, (3) in opioid-naïve patients, (4) with legal prescription use. We identified four antecedents and four consequences to PPOU. ConclusionThe definition of PPOU in current literature varies greatly and has had significant impact on the interpretation and reliability of research findings. We propose the following working definition: PPOU is the legal prescription use of any opioid for greater than 90 days following surgery, for the purposes of treating post-operative pain, by a patient who opioid naïve in the year prior to surgery.

The feasibility and efficacy of perioperative auricular acupuncture technique via intradermal needle buried for postoperative movement-evoked pain after open radical gastrectomy: A randomized controlled pilot trial

IntroductionAuricular acupuncture is widely used in the treatment of pain. Recently, the most commonly used method of auricular acupuncture is to embed an intradermal needle into the skin to enhance analgesia through continuous stimulation. We aimed to explore the efficacy and feasibility of this form of auricular acupuncture in the treatment of postoperative movement-evoked pain. MethodsThis single-blind randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted between 23/8/2019 and 10/1/2020. Forty patients were recruited and randomised to either the control group (n = 20) or the experimental group (n = 20). Patients in the control group received sham auricular acupuncture, while patients in the experimental group received auricular acupuncture. A standard routine analgesia was performed in both groups. The patients with NRS score≥4 were given rescue analgesia. Postoperative pain, use of opioids and other analgesics, postoperative recovery and patient's satisfaction were recorded. ResultsThe credibility and feasibility of auricular acupuncture for postoperative pain were high in both groups. After auricular acupuncture, the scores of the postoperative movement-evoked pain had a tendency to decrease, but no significant difference was observed between two groups at any time point (P = 0.234∼0.888). The data on postoperative pain at rest confirmed that no significant difference was observed between two groups within 48 h of surgery (P = 0.134∼0.520), and the postoperative pain at rest scores decreased over time; however, from the third day, the pain at rest scores of the experimental group were decreased, and significant differences were observed between the two groups (P = 0.039∼0.047). As for use of rescue analgesic, total opioid consumption and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, there were no significant differences between the two groups (P = 0.311, P = 0.101, P = 0.661) . In terms of patients' satisfaction, the score of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group, and a significant difference was observed between the two groups (P = 0.000). As for adverse events, two participants reported pain and one patient reported discomfort at the insertion sites during the process of auricular acupuncture intervention, but they both were minor and tolerable. ConclusionAuricular acupuncture may have a relief effect on mild postoperative pain at rest with pain score below 3, suggesting that it may be a feasible adjuvant method to relieve mild pain at rest. However, more multi-centre and large-sample studies are needed to verify this result.

Mirogabalin treatment of postoperative neuropathic pain after thoracic surgery: study protocol for a multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel-group, interventional trial.

BackgroundIntercostal nerve damage due to thoracotomy or thoracoscopic manipulation is a major contributor to chronic postsurgical pain after pulmonary resection. Chronic postsurgical pain may last for months or years and can negatively impair physical functioning and daily activities. Global consensus on severe postoperative pain management is lacking, and chronic pain incidence after thoracic surgery remains high. Many patients report neuropathic pain, which can be difficult to treat with currently available therapies. The efficacy and safety of mirogabalin have been demonstrated for other types of neuropathic pain; thus, this study was planned to investigate the efficacy and safety of mirogabalin to treat neuropathic pain after thoracic surgery.MethodsIn this multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel-group, interventional study, patients who are diagnosed with neuropathic pain following removal of a chest drain after lung resection will receive conventional therapy (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or acetaminophen) with or without the addition of a clinical dose of mirogabalin for 8 weeks. For patient stratification, a visual analog scale pain intensity score at baseline of <60 vs. ≥60 mm will be used. Treatment efficacy and safety with and without the addition of mirogabalin will be assessed using a questionnaire evaluating postoperative changes in pain severity and activity. The primary study endpoint is the change in pain intensity from baseline to Week 8, measured by the visual analog scale. Additionally, the presence of chronic pain at 12 weeks after enrollment in each treatment group will be recorded.DiscussionThis protocol has been reviewed and approved by the Clinical Research Review Board of Nagasaki University. Study data will be published in the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials database and peer-reviewed journals. Mirogabalin is already approved for the treatment of other types of neuropathic pain. It is anticipated that this study will provide data to elucidate the impact of mirogabalin treatment, in combination with conventional therapy, to benefit patients with neuropathic pain following thoracic surgery.Trial RegistrationJapan Registry of Clinical Trials Identifier: jRCTs071200053.

A Comparative Study of the efficacy of preoperative of oral Pregabalin and placebo on acute Postoperative Pain After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Abstract Background Pain that pursues coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is usually associated with increased both recovery duration and hospital stay. Patient outcome could be worsened owing to large doses of opioids for pain control through over sedation, and prolonged mechanical ventilation. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of preemptive pregabalin on post CABG surgery pain control. Objective To study the effect of pregabalin administration before surgery in the treatment of acute postoperative pain after coronary artery bypass surgery. To study the effect of pregabalin on the consumption of opioids for acute postoperative pain. Patients and Methods Type of Study: Prospective double – blinded, randomized controlled Trial. After Approval is obtained from the research ethics committee of anesthesia and intensive care department, Ain Shams University. Study Setting: National Heart Institute, Egypt. Study Period: 6 months. Study Population: adult undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgeries. Results Analysis of VAS in the first 24 hours after extubation showed significant difference between Groups 1 and 2. Analysis of systolic blood pressure and heart rate in the first 24 hours showed no significant difference between Groups 1 and 2. It is important to note that because the observed “average” differences in systolic blood pressure and heart rate between groups were small, the clinical significance of such differences can be questioned. Furthermore, it would not be realistic to expect a big, dramatic benefit from a single intervention in a complex, multifactorial care process, such as in cardiac surgery. Given the complexity of these cases, we believe that even a small reduction in pain intensity is a meaningful improvement as we all try to improve care for these patients. Conclusion Pregabalin can be effective for reduction of post CABG pain and have better patient satisfaction if given preemptively with single dose preoperatively.

Update PONV – Was gibt es Neues bei der Prophylaxe und Therapie von postoperativer Übelkeit und postoperativem Erbrechen?

The prophylaxis and treatment of postoperative pain to enhance patient comfort has been aprimary goal of anesthesiologists for the last decades; however, avoiding postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is, from apatient's perspective, ahighly relevant and equally important goal of anesthesia. Recent consensus-based guidelines suggest the assessment of risk factors including female gender, postoperative opioid administration, non-smoking status, ahistory of PONV or motion sickness, young patient age, longer duration of anesthesia, volatile anesthetics and the type of surgery and reducing the patient's baseline risk (e.g. through the use of regional anesthesia and administration of non-opioid analgesics as part of amultimodal approach). In general, aliberal PONV prophylaxis is encouraged for adult patients and children, which should also be administered when no risk assessment is made. The basis for every adult patient should be astandard prophylaxis with two antiemetics, such as dexamethasone in combination with a5-HT3 receptor antagonist. In patients at high risk, this should be supplemented by athird and potentially a fourth antiemetic prophylaxis with adifferent mechanism of action. Arecently published comprehensive Cochrane meta-analysis comparing available antiemetic prophylaxes reported the highest effectiveness to prevent PONV for the NK1 receptor antagonist aprepitant (relative risk, RR 0.26), followed by ramosetron (RR 0.44), granisetron (RR 0.45), dexamethasone (RR 0.51) and ondansetron (RR 0.55), thereby revising the dogma that every antiemetic is equally effective. Adverse events of antiemetics were generally rare and reported in less than half of the included studies, yielding alow quality of evidence for these end points. In general, combinations of different antiemetics were more effective than single prophylaxes. In children above 3years of age, the same principles should be applied as in adults. For these patients, there is ahigh degree of evidence for the combination of dexamethasone and 5‑HT3 receptor antagonists. When PONV occurs, the consensus guidelines suggest that antiemetics from aclass different than given as prophylaxis should be administered. To decrease the incidence of PONV and increase the quality of care, the importance of the implementation of institutional-level guidelines and protocols as well as assessment of PONV prophylaxis and PONV incidence is highly recommended.

Perioperative analgesia in obese patients

Obesity in general and morbid obesity (MO) in particular are becoming more common around the world. MO is associated with altered physiology of the body and increased number of comorbidities, which can make perioperative pain control particularly difficult in such patients. Given the higher incidence of respiratory disorders, traditional opioid-oriented treatment of pain in patients with MO can often lead to ventilation disorders and increased morbidity and/or mortality. Multimodal analgesia strategies based on a step-by-step, according to the pain severity, opioid-sparing approach can improve patient safety and treatment outcomes. Further progress in understanding the mechanisms of acute pain forces doctors to actively detect and treat both its nociceptive and pro-nociceptive components (hyperalgesia, etc.). Such multimodal analgesia protocols should be standardized and implemented in perioperative care of patients with MO. In addition to standardizing the treatment of postoperative pain, regardless of used regimen of anesthesia and analgesia, some patients with MO require enhanced respiratory monitoring to prevent possible airway side effects. This review briefly describes the physiological changes in obese patients, the pathophysiology of pain, and the evidence-based clinical updates for pain management in MO. Also, the role of opioid-sparing pharmacological adjuvants is discussed and future directions of research in the field of perioperative pain management in patients with MO are highlighted.

Selective scalp block decreases short term post-operative pain scores and opioid use after craniotomy: A case series

There is no consensus on the management of post-craniotomy pain. Several randomized controlled trials have examined the use of a regional scalp block for post-craniotomy pain. We aim to investigate whether scalp block affected short or long-term pain levels and opioid use after craniotomy. This study prospectively administered selective scalp blocks (lesser occipital, preauricular nerve block + pin site block) in 20 consecutive patients undergoing craniotomy for semicircular canal dehiscence. Anesthesia, pain, and opioid outcomes in these patients were compared to 40 consecutive historic controls. There was no significant difference in patient demographics between the two groups and no complications related to selective scalp block. The time between the end of procedure and end of anesthesia decreased in the scalp block group (16 vs 21 min, P = 0.047). Pain scores were significantly less in the scalp block group for the first 4 h, after which there was no statistically significant difference. Time to opioid rescue was longer in the scalp block group (3.6 vs 1.8 h, HR 0.487, P = 0.0361) and opioid use in the first 7 h was significantly less in the scalp block group. Total opioid use, outpatient opioid use, and length of stay did not differ. Selective scalp block is a safe and effective tool for short-term management of postoperative pain after craniotomy and decreases the medication requirement during emergence and recovery. Selective scalp block can speed up OR turnover but is not efficacious in the treatment of postoperative pain beyond this point.

Quantifying the Pharmacodynamics of Morphine in the Treatment of Postoperative Pain in Preverbal Children.

While the pharmacokinetics of morphine in children have been studied extensively, little is known about the pharmacodynamics of morphine in this population. Here, we quantified the concentration‐effect relationship of morphine for postoperative pain in preverbal children between 0 and 3 years of age. For this, we applied item response theory modeling in the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analysis of COMFORT‐Behavior (COMFORT‐B) scale data from 2 previous clinical studies. In the model, we identified a sigmoid maximal efficacy model for the effect of morphine and found that in 26% of children, increasing morphine concentrations were not associated with lower pain scores (nonresponders to morphine up‐titration). In responders to morphine up‐titration, the COMFORT‐B score slowly decreases with increasing morphine concentrations at morphine concentrations >20 ng/mL. In nonresponding children, no decrease in COMFORT‐B score is expected. In general, lower baseline COMFORT‐B scores (2.1 points on average) in younger children (postnatal age <10.3 days) were found. Based on the model, we conclude that the percentage of children at a desirable COMFORT‐B score is maximized at a morphine concentration between 5 and 30 ng/mL for children aged <10 days, and between 5 and 40 ng/mL for children >10 days. These findings support a dosing regimen previously suggested by Krekels et al, which would put >95% of patients within this morphine target concentration range at steady state. Our modeling approach provides a promising platform for pharmacodynamic research of analgesics and sedatives in children.