Effects of remifentanil versus nitrous oxide on postoperative nausea, vomiting, and pain in patients receiving thyroidectomy: Propensity score matching analysis

Preoperative dexamethasone administration in reducing the incidence of nausea and vomiting after thyroidectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of drug dosage

Background

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are key contributors to the delay of recovery and cause patients' considerable discomfort. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of a specific dexamethasone dosage on PONV incidence, with a secondary objective of assessing its impact on postoperative pain in patients undergoing thyroid surgery.

Methods

A meta-analysis was performed to examine the effects of preoperatively administering various doses of dexamethasone in combination with saline on PONV and pain relief in patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Relevant trials published before December 30, 2022, were searched in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases. The collected data were analyzed using RevMan 5.3 software (Cochrane), and a random-effects model or fixed-effects model was employed to conduct the meta-analysis.

Results

Our meta-analysis included 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a total of 1,544 participants. The results suggested that administering dexamethasone at a dosage of 8-10 mg can reduce the incidence of PONV in patients after thyroid surgery [odds ratio (OR) 0.27; 95% CI: 0.15-0.50; I2=82%; P<0.0001]. Additionally, administering dexamethasone at a dosage of 8-10 mg was found to be significantly more effective in reducing the incidence of PONV than was a dosage of 4-5 mg (OR 0.39; 95% CI: 0.19-0.80; I2=29%; P=0.01). The study also revealed that administering dexamethasone at a dosage of 8-10 mg can significantly reduce pain in patients undergoing thyroidectomy [mean difference (MD): -1.19; 95% CI: -1.97 to -0.41; I2=96%; P=0.003]. However, administering dexamethasone at a dosage of 4-5 mg did not significantly reduce pain (MD: -0.27; 95% CI: -1.00 to 0.45; I2=0%; P=0.46) according to the subgroup analysis. Our study found that the intervention of administering dexamethasone did not have a significant impact on the consumption of analgesic drugs (MD: -0.19; 95% CI: -0.45 to 0.08; I2=62%; P=0.16).

Conclusions

A preoperative single dose of 8-10 mg of dexamethasone can significantly reduce PONV and the requirement for additional antiemetic medications, as well as alleviate postoperative pain after thyroidectomy. However, more RCTs should be conducted to determine the effects of varied dexamethasone dosages, particularly 4-5 mg, on the incidence of PONV and pain.

Real-world data and evidence in pain research: a qualitative systematic review of methods in current practice

The use of routinely collected health data (real-world data, RWD) to generate real-world evidence (RWE) for research purposes is a growing field. Computerized search methods, large electronic databases, and the development of novel statistical methods allow for valid analysis of data outside its primary clinical purpose. Here, we systematically reviewed the methodology used for RWE studies in pain research. We searched 3 databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science) for studies using retrospective data sources comparing multiple groups or treatments. The protocol was registered under the DOI:10.17605/OSF.IO/KGVRM. A total of 65 studies were included. Of those, only 4 compared pharmacological interventions, whereas 49 investigated differences in surgical procedures, with the remaining studying alternative or psychological interventions or epidemiological factors. Most 39 studies reported significant results in their primary comparison, and an additional 12 reported comparable effectiveness. Fifty-eight studies used propensity scores to account for group differences, 38 of them using 1:1 case:control matching. Only 17 of 65 studies provided sensitivity analyses to show robustness of their findings, and only 4 studies provided links to publicly accessible protocols. RWE is a relevant construct that can provide evidence complementary to randomized controlled trials (RCTs), especially in scenarios where RCTs are difficult to conduct. The high proportion of studies reporting significant differences between groups or comparable effectiveness could imply a relevant degree of publication bias. RWD provides a potentially important resource to expand high-quality evidence beyond clinical trials, but rigorous quality standards need to be set to maximize the validity of RWE studies.

Perioperative pain management for thyroid and parathyroid surgery: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

A growing body of evidence suggests that surgeons have historically over-prescribed opioid pain medications following thyroid and parathyroid surgery, thereby potentially contributing to the current US opioid epidemic. We reviewed the evidence supporting multimodal methods of pain control after cervical endocrine surgery.

METHODS

Fifty-one randomized clinical trials, 9 prospective cohort studies, 7 retrospective studies/reviews, and 1 survey regarding pain management for cervical endocrine surgery were include.

RESULTS

Most studies reported in-hospital pain scores and opioid consumption. Data on pain scores following discharge were limited. In several studies, the interventional dose was much greater than what is commonly used clinically.

CONCLUSION

Several evidence-based, non-opioid interventions can be incorporated into a standardized pain management protocol following cervical endocrine surgery. Little is known regarding the effects of these interventions on post-discharge pain scores and patient quality of life during recovery.

Assessing the antinociceptive effect of nitrous oxide to tetanic stimulation in anaesthetised patients with new intra-operative nociception monitors: An observational study

BACKGROUND

Nitrous oxide (N2O) has been used since the 19th century for its analgesic, antinociceptive and anxiolytic effects during surgical procedures in awake and anaesthetised patients. However, quantification of noxious stimuli that occur under general anaesthesia is a constant challenge for anaesthesiologists, and recently two new indices have been developed to assess intra-operative nociception.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to quantify with new indices as well as with more classical clinical parameters the antinociceptive effect of N2O during general anaesthesia.

DESIGN

Prospective, open label, patient-blinded, observational and descriptive trial.

SETTING

Single-centre academic hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty American Society of Anesthesiologists' physical status 1 to 3 patients undergoing general anaesthesia for elective abdominal surgery via laparotomy were recruited.

MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES

Intra-operative pain was assessed using a standardised electrical stimulation of the forearm (tetanic stimulation at 70 mA, 100 Hz for 30 s), at 0, 25 and 50% inhaled N2O/O2. Heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure, bispectral index, the analgesia nociception index and the nociception level (NOL) index were used to evaluate intra-operative nociception before and after each standardised tetanic stimulation.

RESULTS

There was a 16% reduction of the analgesia nociception index reaction, a 31% reduction of the NOL reaction and a 51% reduction of the HR reaction to a standardised electrical tetanic nociceptive stimulation during administration of 50% N2O. Administration of 50 or 25% inhaled N2O produced the same quality of antinociception based on HR and NOL index analyses. HR and the NOL index were the best parameters to identify the antinociceptive effect of intra-operatively administered N2O.

CONCLUSION

In anaesthetised patients, our study demonstrated clinically significant antinociceptive properties of N2O. Our results showed that low concentrations of N2O (25%) are as effective as higher concentrations (50%) to achieve a significant antinociceptive effect. These findings may help decrease negative effects of using higher concentrations of N2O, including its side effects and its environmental pollution.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov registration identifier: NCT02701478.

Pharmacologic interventions for postoperative nausea and vomiting after thyroidectomy: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Objective

To determine the effectiveness of pharmacologic interventions for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing thyroidectomy.

Design

Systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA).

Data sources

MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Google Scholar.

Eligibility criteria, participants, and interventions

Randomized clinical trials that investigated the efficacy of pharmacologic interventions in preventing PONV in patients undergoing thyroidectomy were included. The primary endpoints were the incidences of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), postoperative nausea (PON), postoperative vomiting (POV), use of rescue antiemetics, and incidence of complete response in the overall postoperative phases. The secondary endpoints were the same parameters assessed in the early, middle, and late postoperative phases. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) values and rankograms were used to present the hierarchy of pharmacologic interventions.

Results

Twenty-six studies (n = 3,467 patients) that investigated 17 different pharmacologic interventions were included. According to the SUCRA values, the incidence of PONV among the overall postoperative phases was lowest with propofol alone (16.1%), followed by palonosetron (27.5%), and with tropisetron (28.7%). The incidence of PON among the overall postoperative phases was lowest with propofol alone (11.8%), followed by tropisetron and propofol combination (14%), and ramosetron and dexamethasone combination (18.0%). The incidence of POV among the overall postoperative phases was lowest with tropisetron and propofol combination (2.2%), followed by ramosetron and dexamethasone combination (23.2%), and tropisetron alone (37.3%). The least usage of rescue antiemetics among the overall postoperative phases and the highest complete response was observed with tropisetron and propofol combination (3.9% and 96.6%, respectively).

Conclusion

Propofol and tropisetron alone and in combination, and the ramosetron and dexamethasone combination effectively prevented PONV, PON, POV in patients undergoing thyroidectomy, with some heterogeneity observed in this NMA of full-text reports. Their use minimized the need for rescue antiemetics and enhanced the complete response.

Trial registration number

CRD42018100002.

Robotic Thyroidectomy Decreases Postoperative Pain Compared With Conventional Thyroidectomy

BACKGROUND

This retrospective study compared postoperative pain between patients undergoing open thyroidectomy (OT) and bilateral axillo-breast approach (BABA) robotic thyroidectomy (RT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analyzed the electronic medical records of 1269 patients who underwent OT or RT at Chung-Ang University Hospital between January 1, 2010 and April 30, 2016. On the basis of the surgical procedure performed, patients were categorized into an OT (n=1128) and a BABA RT (BRT) group (n=141). On the basis of covariates, patients in these groups were matched using propensity score matching (n=86 in each group).

RESULTS

After propensity score matching, no intergroup differences were observed in the covariates. The visual analogue scale scores for pain on postoperative day 0 were lower in the BRT than in the OT group (2.57±0.95 vs. 2.28±0.95, P=0.040). However, no statistically significant differences were observed in the use of rescue analgesics, the numerical rating scale score for nausea, and the use of rescue antiemetics.

CONCLUSIONS

Pain on postoperative day 0 was lesser in the BRT than in the OT group. Similarly, the severity of nausea was lesser in the BRT group, despite longer operation time and broad dissection performed for docking the robotic arms.

Comparison of effects of desflurane and sevoflurane on postoperative nausea, vomiting, and pain in patients receiving opioid-based intravenous patient-controlled analgesia after thyroidectomy: Propensity score matching analysis

In this study, we aimed to compare the effect of desflurane and sevoflurane on postoperative nausea and vomiting and pain in patients receiving opioid-based intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) after thyroidectomy.We reviewed the electronic medical records of 1042 patients administered opioid-based IV-PCA after a thyroidectomy at Chung-Ang University Hospital between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2016. We classified the patients into 2 groups according to the inhalation anesthetic used for anesthesia: desflurane versus sevoflurane (groups D and S, n = 587 and 455, respectively). Then, propensity scoring was used to select 234 matched subjects between both groups based on their confounding factors. A propensity score matching method was used to match patients from the 2 groups in a 1:1 ratio.Before the propensity score analysis, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups. However, after the propensity score matching, the frequency of complete remission (CR, defined as no nausea and vomiting) was significantly higher in group S than it was in group D. The number of patients administered rescue antiemetics on day 0 in group S was lower than that in group D, although it was not statistically significant.In patients receiving opioid-based IV-PCA after thyroidectomy, sevoflurane seems to be more beneficial in achieving CR than desflurane was. However, further randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm this conclusion.