A study published in Anesthesiology examined methadone's effects on spinal fusion surgery patients.
Evanston, Ill.-based NorthShore University Health System anesthesiologist Glenn Murphy, MD, and colleagues conducted a study with 115 patients randomly assigned to receive either methadone or hydromorphone at the start of surgery or during closure, respectively.
Researchers gave hydromorphone to patients following surgery.
Researchers measured how much hydromorphone patients took during the first three days after surgery, and measured pain scores and satisfaction with pain management during that period.
Here's what they found.
1. Patients required a median of 5 mg of hydromorphone to treat acute pain in the methadone group on the first day after surgery. The control group required 10 mg.
2. On the second day, methadone patients required less than 1 mg of hydromorphone compared to 3 mg in the control group.
3. On the third day, methadone patients no longer required hydromorphone compared to less than 1 mg in the control group.
Researchers concluded, "Patients given methadone required significantly less intravenous and oral opioid medication after surgery, reported lower pain scores and had improved global satisfaction with pain management, compared to patients who were given hydromorphone during surgery."
There were no differences in opioid-related or other adverse events.