UNASSIGNED: Opioid-sparing analgesia for acute postoperative pain after breast cancer surgery is crucial due to opioid-related side effects. The utilisation of erector spinae plane block and low-dose intravenous ketamine-dexmedetomidine are widely recognised as non-opioid analgesic methodologies. The objective of this study was to conduct a randomised trial to examine the analgesic efficacy of both approaches while minimising the use of opioids.
UNASSIGNED: Seventy-two female patients scheduled for unilateral modified radical mastectomy were recruited. They were allocated randomly to Group ESPB, which received ipsilateral ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block by 20 mL bupivacaine 0.5% at the level of T5 after induction of general anaesthesia, and Group Ket-Dex, which received intravenous (IV) bolus 0.25 mg/kg of ketamine and 0.5 µg/kg of dexmedetomidine, followed by an IV infusion of 0.25 mg/kg of ketamine and 0.3 µg/kg of dexmedetomidine per hour. Total postoperative morphine consumption (24 h) was the primary outcome. The secondary outcomes were pain scores over 24 hours during rest, duration of analgesia, isoflurane consumption, time to awakening, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and postoperative serum cortisol level.
UNASSIGNED: The postoperative morphine consumption over 24-hour in Group ESPB was 3.26 mg (0-6.74) versus 2.35 mg (2.08-4.88) in Group Ket-Dex (P = 0.046). Group Ket-Dex had lower pain scores at rest, longer analgesia duration, longer awakening time, and lower postoperative serum cortisol levels.
UNASSIGNED: Intravenous low-dose ketamine-dexmedetomidine infusion intraoperatively with inhalational-based general anaesthesia provides superior opioid-sparing analgesia to that of ESPB in patients undergoing unilateral non-reconstructive modified radical mastectomy, with less postoperative opioid consumption and stress response.

BACKGROUND: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) often induces significant postoperative pain, potentially leading to chronic pain and decreased quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the acetaminophen/ibuprofen combination effectiveness in reducing analgesic requirements and pain intensity in patients undergoing VATS.
METHODS: This is a double-blinded randomized controlled trial.
METHODS: Adult patients scheduled for elective VATS for lung resection were randomized to receive either intravenous acetaminophen and ibuprofen (intervention group) or 100 mL normal saline (control group). Treatments were administered post-anesthesia induction and every 6 h for three cycles. The primary outcome was total analgesic consumption at 24 h postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were cumulative analgesic consumption at 2 and 48 h; analgesic-related side effects at 2, 24, and 48 h; quality of recovery at 24 h and 48 h postoperatively; pain intensity at rest and during coughing; and rescue analgesics use. Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) was assessed through telephone interviews 3 months postoperatively.
RESULTS: The study included 96 participants. The intervention group showed significantly lower analgesic consumption at 24 h and 48 h postoperatively (24 h: median difference: - 100 µg equivalent intravenous fentanyl [95% confidence interval (CI) - 200 to - 5 μg], P = 0.037; 48 h: median difference: - 140 μg [95% CI - 320 to - 20 μg], P = 0.035). Compared to the controls, the intervention group exhibited a significantly lower quality of recovery 24 h post-surgery, with no significant difference at 48 h. All pain scores except for coughing at 48 h post-surgery were significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the controls. No significant differences were observed between the groups in postoperative nausea and vomiting occurrence, hospital stay length, and CPSP.
CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative administration of acetaminophen/ibuprofen significantly decreased analgesic needs in patients undergoing VATS, providing an effective postoperative pain management strategy, and potentially minimizing the need for stronger analgesics.

Odontogenic pain can be debilitating, and nonopioid analgesic options are limited. This randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of cannabidiol (CBD) as an analgesic for patients with emergency acute dental pain. Sixty-one patients with moderate to severe toothache were randomized into 3 groups: CBD10 (CBD 10 mg/kg), CBD20 (CBD 20 mg/kg), and placebo. We administered a single dose of respective oral solution and monitored the subjects for 3 h. The primary outcome measure was the numerical pain differences using a visual analog scale (VAS) from baseline within and among the groups. Secondary outcome measures included ordinal pain intensity differences, the onset of significant pain relief, maximum pain relief, changes in bite force within and among the groups, psychoactive effects, mood changes, and other adverse events. Both CBD groups resulted in significant VAS pain reduction compared to their baseline and the placebo group, with a maximum median VAS pain reduction of 73% from baseline pain at the 180-min time point (P < 0.05). CBD20 experienced a faster onset of significant pain relief than CBD10 (15 versus 30 min after drug administration), and both groups reached maximum pain relief at 180-min. Number needed to treat was 3.1 for CBD10 and 2.4 for CBD20. Intragroup comparisons showed a significant increase in bite forces in both CBD groups (P < 0.05) but not in the placebo group (P > 0.05). CBD20 resulted in a significant difference in mean percent bite force change in the 90- and 180-min time points compared to the placebo group (P < 0.05). Compared to placebo, sedation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain were significantly associated with the CBD groups (P < 0.05). There were no other significant psychoactive or mood change effects. This randomized trial provides the first clinical evidence that oral CBD can be an effective and safe analgesic for dental pain.

BACKGROUND: Opioid addiction is a rising public health crisis. We evaluated if a New York State-mandated online opioid awareness course impacted our urology opioid prescription practices for outpatient endoscopic surgeries.
METHODS: We completed a retrospective review of all ambulatory endoscopic cases identified by CPT codes for all adult urology faculty between February 2016 and January 2018. Patients were divided into 2 cohorts, ie pre-mandated and post-mandated training. Patient demographics, procedure details, psychiatric history and postoperative pain prescriptions were collected. Changes in opioid prescription practices prior to and after the mandated online course were reviewed. Chi-square and linear regression analyses were performed.
RESULTS: A total of 356 cases were analyzed. After the training course, overall frequency of department opioid prescriptions did not change significantly (47.9% vs 47.5%, p=0.95). However, the percentage of patients receiving an oxycodone/acetaminophen prescription decreased from 90.2% to 63.0% (p <0.001) and the average number of tablets prescribed decreased (8.6 vs 16.9, p <0.001). On multivariate analysis, placement of a ureteral stent, older patient age and higher body mass index were predictors of an opioid prescription. In those patients who had a stent placed, nonopioid prescriptions increased from 42% to 88% (p <0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the New York State-mandated education session did impact opioid prescription practices for outpatient urological endoscopic surgery at our institution. The largest impact was seen within patients undergoing procedures requiring stent placement, with a decrease in total number of oxycodone/acetaminophen prescriptions and number of tablets prescribed per prescription. These data begin to demonstrate effective interventions that may impact physician practice patterns within opioid research.

Limited data exist concerning the management of postoperative pain after robotic-assisted surgery. The present study was performed to investigate the efficacy of intrathecal morphine and bupivacaine to treat postoperative pain in adult women undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy.
The primary outcomes of this study were opioid consumption and pain scores during and after robotic surgery. 96 patients were prospectively enrolled and randomized to a nonspinal group (n = 48) and a spinal group (n = 48). The intrathecal regimen consisted of 100 μg morphine and 15 mg of bupivacaine. The numeric rating scale scores (NRS) were assessed every 15 min in the postoperative care unit (PACU) and pain was treated with iv fentanyl or morphine when NRS was above 5 and orally oxycodone when NRS was 3-5. Cumulative iv opioid-consumption and NRS scores were compared.
Intrathecal morphine and bupivacaine resulted in a significantly lower cumulative total iv opioid (morphine equivalents) consumption (9.4 ± 3.9 vs. 22.8 ± 6.1 mg equivalents). Highest recorded NRS scores in the PACU were also significantly lower in the spinal group (2.0 ± 2.6 vs. 5.3 ± 3.2).
Intrathecal morphine and bupivacaine to treat postoperative pain after robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy decrease total opioid consumption and NRS pain scores. This might be of great importance to diminish the rate of other serious disadvantages related to opioids.

BACKGROUND: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the body of evidence investigating the post-operative use of non-opioid analgesic drugs and techniques in endocrine neck surgeries. Adequate pain control is crucial for successful recovery after thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Effective postoperative pain control can shorten hospital stay, improve postoperative outcomes, decrease morbidity and improve the overall patient experience. Traditionally, opioids have been the mainstay of postoperative analgesia after thyroid and parathyroid surgeries. However, the use of opioids has been linked to an increased incidence of postoperative complications.
METHODS: A comprehensive systematic literature review via Medline, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials from inception until December 26th, 2020 was conducted, followed by meta-analysis. Abstract and full-text screening, data extraction and quality assessment were independently conducted by 2 investigators. Odds ratios (OR), mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using RevMan 5.3.
RESULTS: Sixty-five randomized control trials were identified from 486 unique publications. Pooled MD and 95% confidence interval for pain scores were higher for the control group at 24 h postoperatively both at rest (-0.65 [-0.92, -0.37]) and with swallowing (-0.77 [-1.37, -0.16]). These differences were statistically significant. The pooled MD and confidence interval for postoperative analgesic requirements was lower in the intervention group (-1.38 [-1.86, -0.90]). The incidence of PONV had a pooled OR of 0.67 [0.48, 0.94].
CONCLUSIONS: Non-opioid analgesia was superior to the control group for pain control in patients undergoing thyroid and parathyroid operations with no significant difference in complications.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate associations between multimodal analgesia and post-operative pain among patients undergoing transoral robotic surgery for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
METHODS: Records of patients who underwent surgery from 5 September 2012 to 30 November 2016 were abstracted. Associations were assessed using multivariable analysis.
RESULTS: A total of 216 patients (mean age of 59.1 years, 89.4 per cent male) underwent transoral robotic surgery (92.6 per cent were human papilloma virus positive, 87.5 per cent had stage T1-T2 tumours, and 82.9 per cent had stage N0-N1 nodes). Gabapentin (n = 86) was not associated with a reduction in severe pain. Ibuprofen (n = 72) was administered less often in patients with severe pain. Gabapentin was not associated with increased post-operative sedation (p = 0.624) and ibuprofen was not associated with increased bleeding (p = 0.221). Post-operative opioid usage was not associated with surgical duration, pharyngotomy, bilateral neck dissections, tumour stage, tumour size, subsite or gabapentin.
CONCLUSIONS: Scheduled low-dose gabapentin was not associated with improved pain control or increased respiratory depression. Ibuprofen was not associated with an increased risk of bleeding and may be under-utilised.

BACKGROUND: High rates of mortality and chemical dependence occur following the overuse of narcotic medications, and the prescription of these medications has become a central discussion in health care. Efforts to curtail opioid prescribing include Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines, which describe local anesthesia techniques to decrease or eliminate the need for opioids when used in a comprehensive protocol. Here, we review effective perioperative blocks for the decreased use of opioid medications post-breast reconstruction surgery.
METHODS: A comprehensive review was conducted using keywords narcotics, opioid, surgery, breast reconstruction, pain pump, nerve block, regional anesthesia, and analgesia. Papers that described a local anesthetic option for breast reconstruction for decreasing postoperative narcotic consumption, written in English, were included.
RESULTS: A total of 52 papers were included in this review. Local anesthetic options included single-shot nerve blocks, nerve block catheters, and local and regional anesthesia. Most papers reported equal or even superior pain control with decreased nausea and vomiting, length of hospital stay, and other outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS: Though opioid medications are currently the gold standard medication for pain management following surgery, strategies to decrease the dose or number of opioids prescribed may lead to better patient outcomes. The use of a local anesthetic technique has been shown to reduce narcotic use and improve patients\' pain scores after breast reconstruction surgery.

The design and implementation of alternatives to opioids (ALTO) order sets for the treatment of acute pain in a community health system\'s emergency departments are described.
Healthcare institutions nationwide have incorporated policies and procedures to assist prescribers in the safe and effective management of pain. These adopted approaches may be targeted at mitigating opioid prescribing as well as promoting the optimization of nonopioid analgesics. Institutions that enact innovations and track outcomes may be eligible for reimbursement through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services\' Merit-based Incentive Payment System. Emergency departments may monitor implementation progress and outcomes through participation in the American College of Emergency Physician\'s Emergency Quality Network. Clinical pharmacists were tasked with assisting an institution\'s emergency departments to create and implement two order sets containing ALTO analgesics and supportive medications for atraumatic headache and general acute pain management. Key steps of order set implementation included collaborative development with emergency department providers, implementation with information services, and the development of provider-focused education by project pharmacists. The implementation of ALTO order sets has set the foundation for expansion of pain control protocols and algorithms within our institution. Furthermore, the approach detailed in this article can be adapted and implemented by other healthcare systems to help reduce opioid prescribing.
The implementation of ALTO order sets within an electronic health record can encourage decreased prescribing of opioids for the treatment of acute pain, promote and optimize dosing of nonopioid analgesics, and may augment reimbursement for services in the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Most children with trisomy 13 display central apnea, and are prone to opioid-induced respiratory depression. We conducted opioid-free anesthesia for a patient with trisomy 13 and obstructive sleep apnea, and safely extubated the patient in the operating room.
METHODS: A 27-month-old girl with trisomy 13 underwent tonsillectomy. Given her high sensitivity to opioids, general anesthesia was introduced and maintained only with 2-5% sevoflurane and 33% nitrous oxide in oxygen. We used acetaminophen for postoperative analgesia. The tracheal tube was removed under stable breathing pattern 10 min after the surgery in the operating room. Two years later, opioid-free anesthesia with 2-5% sevoflurane and 33% nitrous oxide in oxygen was again performed safely for tube insertion into both eardrums.
CONCLUSIONS: Opioid-free anesthesia with adequate non-narcotic analgesics is safe for children with trisomy 13 with multiple apnea-related comorbidities.