[Drugs for postoperative analgesia: routine and new aspects: Part 2: opioids, ketamine and gabapentinoids]

Postoperative pain management in obstetrics and gynecology

The efficiency and quality of postoperative pain management may be considered unsatisfactory in Europe, as well as in the United States. Notwithstanding our better understanding of the physiology of pain and the development of new analgesia procedures, the improvement in satisfaction of patients has not be enhanced to the same degree. Obstetrics and gynecology are no exception to this statement. In fact, obstetrics and gynecology are surgical departments in which patients experience the greatest severity of postoperative pain. Current concepts of postoperative pain management are largely based on the administration of systemic non-opioid and opioid analgesics, supplemented with regional analgesia procedures and/or peripheral nerve blockades and, in some cases, the administration of other pain-relieving pharmaceutical agents. Based on the existing body of evidence, it would be appropriate to develop procedure-related concepts of analgesia. The concepts are based on the special circumstances of the respective department, and the scheme of analgesia is aligned to the respective interventions. Generally, however, a surgeon’s individual experience in dealing with the procedures and substances could be more significant than the theoretical advantages demonstrated in preceding investigations.

[Anesthesia for medical students : A brief guide to practical anesthesia in adults with a web-based video illustration]

In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, anesthesiologists are the second largest group of physicians in hospitals, but this does not correspond to the amount of anesthesiology teaching that medical students receive in medical schools. Accordingly, the chances of medical students recognizing anesthesiology as a promising personal professional career are smaller than in other disciplines with large teaching components. Subsequent difficulties to recruit anesthesiology residents are likely, although many reasons support anesthesiology as a professional career.Traditional strategies to teach medical students in anesthesiology in medical school consist of airway management or cardiopulmonary resuscitation attempts in manikins. Anesthesiology is a complex interaction consisting of anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, clinical evaluation, experience, knowledge, and manual skills. While some medical schools offer teaching in high fidelity simulators, clinical teaching in the operating room is often limited. When medical students opt for a clinical rotation in anesthesiology, there is a chance to demonstrate the fascinating world of anesthesiology, but this chance has to be utilized carefully by anesthesiologists, as young talents have to be discovered, supported, and challenged.We have put together a short guide for medical students for a clinical rotation in anesthesiology in adults in order to generate basic knowledge and interest in anesthesiology as well as a sense of achievement. Basic knowledge about premedication, induction, maintenance and strategies for anesthesia is discussed. Further, the most important anesthesia drugs are discussed and manual skills, such as intravenous cannulation, mask ventilation, intubation, and regional anesthesia are featured with QR-code based video illustrations on a smartphone or personal computer. We did not discuss possible local mannerism and special patient groups (e. g., children, special medical history), local guidelines, or standard operating procedures.Medical students can be inspired by anesthesiology when not simply told about the tools of the trade and strategies, but instead by gaining knowledge and clinical skills that render a sense of achievement, likely during a clinical rotation into anesthesiology. A short theoretical instruction of anesthesiology enables rapid and targeted orientation even before a clinical rotation. Whether this subsequently results in a higher recruiting chance is currently unknown.

[Pediatric perioperative systemic pain therapy: Austrian interdisciplinary recommendations on pediatric perioperative pain management]

BACKGROUND

Many analgesics used in adult medicine are not licensed for pediatric use. Licensing limitations do not, however, justify that children are deprived of a sufficient pain therapy particularly in perioperative pain therapy. The treatment is principally oriented to the strength of the pain. Due to the degree of pain caused, intramuscular and subcutaneous injections should be avoided generally.

NON-OPIOIDS

The basis of systemic pain therapy for children are non-opioids and primarily non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They should be used prophylactically. The NSAIDs are clearly more effective than paracetamol for acute posttraumatic and postoperative pain and additionally allow economization of opioids. Severe side effects are rare in children but administration should be carefully considered especially in cases of hepatic and renal dysfunction or coagulation disorders. Paracetamol should only be taken in pregnancy and by children when there are appropriate indications because a possible causal connection with bronchial asthma exists. To ensure a safe dosing the age, body weight, duration of therapy, maximum daily dose and dosing intervals must be taken into account. Dipyrone is used in children for treatment of visceral pain and cholic. According to the current state of knowledge the rare but severe side effect of agranulocytosis does not justify a general rejection for short-term perioperative administration.

OPIOIDS

In cases of insufficient analgesia with non-opioid analgesics, the complementary use of opioids is also appropriate for children of all age groups. They are the medication of choice for episodes of medium to strong pain and are administered in a titrated form oriented to effectiveness. If severe pain is expected to last for more than 24 h, patient-controlled anesthesia should be implemented but requires a comprehensive surveillance by nursing personnel.

KETAMINE

Ketamine is used as an adjuvant in postoperative pain therapy and is recommended for use in pediatric sedation and analgosedation.

Peridural Anesthesia or Ultrasound-Guided Continuous 3-in-1 Block: Which Is Indicated for Analgesia in Very Elderly Patients With Hip Fracture in the Emergency Department?

PURPOSE

The aim of our study was to investigate the clinical relevance of preoperative acute pain management and cardiovascular stability by ultrasound-guided continuous 3-in-1 nerve block in very elderly patients with hip fracture when compared to epidural anesthesia (PDA).

METHODS

To study the analgesic effect, we enrolled 37 very elderly patients with hip fractures, of whom 3 patients with dementia had to be excluded. Thus, 34 patients were randomized to 1 of the 3 groups: group A (ultrasound-guided continuous 3-in-1 block, bupivacaine; n = 10, dropout rate: 0), group B (PDA, bupivacaine; n = 14, dropout rate: 8), and group C (systemic pain therapy, piritramide/paracetamol; n = 10, dropout rate: 0). Pain intensity was assessed preoperatively and up to 24 hours postoperatively using a visual analog scale, verbal rating scale, analgesic consumption, scale of well-being, and cardiocirculatory parameters (eg, serum troponin T).

RESULTS

Our data show that in the preoperative period both regional anesthesia (RA) procedures (analgesia responders after 1 hour: 86.7% and 100%; P = .001) were superior to systemic analgesia (analgesia responders: 46.7%), and the rescue medication requirement in the 2 RA groups was significantly lower (P = .02). Serum troponin T level increased only in the systemic analgesia group (P = .04). In the emergency department, the disadvantage of PDA in geriatric patients with hip fracture was the fact that procedures were more complex, resulting in a high dropout rate (57.1%). The use of PDA has to be critically discussed for ethical concerns.

CONCLUSION

In the specific situation of acute hospital admission, the ultrasound-guided continuous 3-in-1 block appears to be indicated as a stress-free means of providing adequate preoperative pain relief in very elderly patients with hip fracture. However, these findings should be corroborated by studies involving larger numbers of patients.

[Perioperative analgesia for opioid tolerant patients]

In this review article the special anesthesiological problems of opioid tolerance and surgical interventions will be presented. These affect patients with a long-term opioid therapy of chronic pain, addicts with long-term substitution therapy and addicts with current or previous heroin addiction ("clean"). For all patient groups a guarantee of continuous and adequate analgesia (avoidance of fear and increasing patient compliance), exploiting suitable regional anesthesia or regional analgesia procedures when possible, and prevention of a physical opioid withdrawal syndrome have utmost priority. The necessary optimization of perioperative pain therapy only succeeds when based on a thorough preoperative examination of the clinical history which subtly inquires into the drug taking habits with respect to opioids and associated medications. Systemic and/or regional analgesia procedures are possible. Regional procedures are more effective for analgesia. Systemic analgesia procedures do not basically differ from those routinely used for patients without opioid tolerance. However, higher doses of opioids are necessary as well as individual titration according to needs. Special conditions apply to patients previously addicted to opioids (clean) when they are to be operated on. Non-opioids are sufficiently effective for low level pain and opiates can be avoided. Opioid therapy with inclusion of a non-opioid is necessary following major operations or for severe postoperative pain, even as i.v. patient-controlled analgesia (i.v. PCA) if needed. For these patients a relapse to addiction can be provoked by insufficient administration of analgesics, not by pain management including opioids.