Researchers studied 251 surgical Toronto General Hospital patients with a high risk of developing chronic pain or persistent opioid use. They were divided into two categories — opioid inexperienced and opioid experienced — and evaluated six months after surgery.
Here are six insights about the pain program and its results:
1. Patients who didn’t take opioids before surgery reduced their opioid intake by 69 percent postoperatively.
2. Forty-six percent of those patients weaned off opioids entirely.
3. Patients who did take opioids prior to surgery reduced opioid consumption by 44 percent.
4. Twenty-six percent of those patients weaned off opioids completely.
5. Consumption at the time of hospital discharge predicted weaning in opioid-naive patients, while weaning for the other group was predicted by pain catastrophizing, neuropathy and recreational drug use.
6. Pain and function were significantly improved for all patients.
More articles on anesthesia:
Mercy Center for Pain Medicine opening satellite pain center at ASC — 3 notes
Hospital defends decision to replace Southern Tier Anesthesiologists despite community support — 5 insights
6 insights on how artificial intelligence could transform anesthesia
