Russell Presley Swann, MD, of Indianapolis-based Methodist Sports Medicine, shared his thoughts on postoperative pain management after outpatient orthopedic procedures with MD Magazine.
Here are six key takeaways.
1. Physicians must take into account postoperative pain management when considering outpatient total joint procedures. Of the 73 million-plus U.S.-performed total surgical procedures, up to 75 percent of patients reported some sort of pain.
2. Improper pain management continues to significantly impact patient recovery and overall outcomes.
3. Until recently, outpatient pain management heavily consisted of opioids. To mitigate any chance of addiction, new techniques like continuous peripheral nerve blocks are being used to manage postoperative pain and provide pain relief without the addictive qualities of opioids.
4. CPNBs have already been introduced in both the inpatient and outpatient arenas. They provide extended pain relief and can be tailored to a patient's needs through the use of a pain pump.
5. Dr. Swann said CPNBs also help patients recover and regain mobility faster.
6. To determine if a patient is viable candidate for CPNB, Dr. Swann meets with them first to determine if same-day surgery is appropriate. He brings pain management into the mix and determines if a patient has a support system at home to facilitate recovery. An ideal candidate is free of cardiac or pulmonary comorbidities.