Preoperative predictors of poor acute postoperative pain control: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Risk Factors for Increased Opioid Use During Postoperative Intensive Care

IMPORTANCE

In the ICU, opioids treat pain and improve ventilator tolerance as part of an analgosedation approach. Identifying predictors of opioid consumption during the ICU course might highlight actionable items to reduce opioid consumption.

OBJECTIVES

To identify risk factors for opioid use during a postoperative ICU course.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Patients enrolled in the Michigan Genomics Initiative single-center prospective observational cohort study completed baseline preoperative sociodemographic and mental/physical health questionnaires and provided blood samples for genetic analysis. Included patients were 18 years old and older, admitted to ICU postoperatively, and received opioids postoperatively.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was ICU mean daily oral morphine equivalent (OME) use. The association between OME and phenotypic risk factors and genetic variants previously associated with pain were analyzed through univariable and multivariable linear regression models.

RESULTS

The cohort consisted of 1865 mixed-surgical patients with mean age of 56 years (sd, 15 yr). Preoperative opioid users were more likely to continue to receive opioids throughout their ICU stay than opioid-naive patients. OME (log10 scale) was most strongly associated with ICU mechanical ventilation (β = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.15-0.38; p < 0.0001; effect size 1.85 for receiving > 24 hours of mechanical ventilation), preoperative opioid use (β = 0.22; 95% CI, 0.16-0.29; p < 0.0001; effect size 1.67 for receiving preoperative opioids), major surgery (β = 0.21; 95% CI, 0.12-0.30; p < 0.0001; effect size 1.62 compared with minor surgery), and current/former illicit drug use (β = 0.12; 95% CI, 0.01-0.23; p = 0.04; effect size 1.30 for drug use). Younger age, centralized pain, and longer anesthetic duration were also significantly associated with OME but with smaller effect sizes. Selected genetic variants (FKBP5, COMT, and OPRM1) were not associated with OME use.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Mechanical ventilation and preoperative opioids were the strongest risk factors for postoperative ICU opioid consumption, whereas psychologic factors and genetic variants were not associated.

Understanding the role of intraoperative hypothermia in perioperative opioid requirements in immediate implant-based breast reconstruction

BACKGROUND

The relationship between perioperative temperatures and postoperative pain is unknown. The present study investigated the relationship of intraoperative hypothermia and perioperative opioid requirements after immediate implant-based breast reconstruction.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients undergoing immediate implant-based breast reconstruction from 2019-2023. Patients were classified into the hypothermic group (majority of procedure <36.0 °C) or normothermic group (majority of procedure ≥36.0 °C). Cumulative inpatient opioid requirements (morphine milli-equivalents [MMEs]) and frequency of patients requiring "high-dose opioids" (≥100 MMEs) were collected and compared between the groups.

RESULTS

In total, 536 patients (835 breasts) were included, among whom 135 (25.1%) were hypothermic. The hypothermic group had lower mean intraoperative (88.4 vs. 99.1 MMEs, P = 0.007) and postoperative (45.6 vs. 56.8 MMEs, P = 0.006) than the normothermic group. Mean (B = 14.6, P = 0.004) and nadir (B = 10.4, P = 0.038) intraoperative temperatures directly predicted higher opioid requirements while higher percentages of the procedure time spent under 36 °C (B = -27.6, P = 0.004) predicted lower opioid requirements. The hypothermic group was associated with 66% decreased odds of requiring high-dose opioids after adjusting for differences in patient and operative characteristics (P = 0.007).

CONCLUSION

Hypothermia is associated with decreased perioperative opioid requirements. Future studies should further investigate ideal temperature thresholds for warming protocols to minimize postoperative pain.

Sex-Differences in Post-Procedural Pain Experiences After Thermal Liver Ablations for Liver Tumors: A Retrospective Study

INTRODUCTION

Literature shows differences in pain experiences between sexes. The exact influence of thermal liver ablation on experienced pain is still not well-known. This study aims to investigate the maximum pain intensity at the recovery between men and women after percutaneous thermal liver ablation.

METHODS

Patients treated with percutaneous thermal liver ablation (radiofrequency or microwave ablation) in Maastricht University Medical Center + between 2018 and 2022 for primary or secondary liver tumors were included retrospectively. Outcomes included maximum numerical rating scale (NRS, scale:0-10) score at the recovery room, prevalence of post-procedural pain (defined as NRS score ≥ 4), duration of anesthesia, length of stay at recovery, and complications. Regression analyses were adjusted for age, ASA-score, BMI, tumor type, maximum diameter of lesion, chronic pain in patients' history, and history of psychological disorder.

RESULTS

183 patients were included of which 123 men (67%). Results showed higher average maximum NRS scores in women patients compared to men (mean:3.88 versus 2.73), but not after adjustments (aß:0.75, 95%CI:-0.13-1.64). Women suffered more from acute post-procedural pain (59% versus 35%; aOR:2.50, 95%CI:1.16-5.39), and needed analgesics more often at the recovery room (aOR:2.43, 95%CI:1.07-5.48) compared to men. NRS score at recovery arrival did not significantly differ (aß:0.37, 95%CI:-0.48-1.22). No differences were seen in the length of stay at the recovery, duration of anesthesia, procedure time, and complication rate. Location of the tumor (subcapsular or deep), total tumors per patient, and distinction between primary and secondary tumors had no influence on the NRS.

CONCLUSION

This retrospective single-center study shows higher post-procedural pain rates after thermal liver ablation in women, resulting in higher analgesics use at the recovery room. The results suggest considering higher dosage of analgesics during thermal liver ablation in women to reduce post-procedural pain. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3: Non-controlled retrospective cohort study.

Music-Based Therapy for the Treatment of Perioperative Anxiety and Pain-A Randomized, Prospective Clinical Trial

Background: Music-based intervention has been advocated as a nonpharmacologic approach for the perioperative control of pain and anxiety in surgical patients. However, its impact on patients with preoperative anxiety has not been clearly established. Our study aimed to examine the impact of music-based intervention administered before, during, and after surgery on postoperative opioid consumption and pain levels, as well as preoperative anxiety, depression, and pain catastrophizing. We hypothesized that, compared to a control group, music-based intervention would be effective in reducing opioid requirements and mood disorders. Methods: This study was a single-center, prospective, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Inclusion criteria isame-day or observation surgery. Exclusion criteria included American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status IV, use of spinal anesthesia, PROMIS Anxiety T-scores ≤ 57.4 and ≥74.1, preoperative chronic opioid use, transgender surgery, and history of drug or alcohol abuse. Music-based intervention was developed by a certified music therapist. Each patient was randomized to receive standard of care (SC) or SC plus music-based intervention before, during, and after surgery. The primary end point was postoperative oral morphine equivalents (OMEs) over 5 days following surgery using the area under the curve (AUC)Secondary end points were PROMIS Anxiety, PROMIS Depression scores Pain Catastrophizing Scale scores, postoperative nausea and vomiting, time of hospital discharge, and patient satisfaction (0 = totally unsatisfied to 10 = completely satisfied). Results: A total of 75 patients were randomized to a music-based intervention (n = 33) or control (n = 42) group. Patients in the music-based intervention group consumed 56.7% less opioids than those in the control group (AUC was 2.8 in the music-based intervention group vs. 6.4 in the control group, absolute standardized mean difference (aSMD) = 0.34 (-0.17, 0.85)). No difference in pain scores was recorded between groups. Music-based intervention also reduced anxiety on postoperative day (POD)2 (aSMD = 0.38 (-0.16, 0.91)), depression on POD2 (aSMD = 0.31 (-0.23, 0.84)) and POD4 (aSMD = 0.24 (-0.29, 0.77)), and pain catastrophizing on POD1 (aSMD = 0.24 (-0.3, 0.77)). Conclusions: Our data support the use of music-based intervention to reduce postoperative opioid requirements. Music-based intervention may also reduce anxiety, depression, and pain catastrophizing.

Opioid use patterns following discharge from elective colorectal surgery: a prospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Opioid overprescription after colorectal surgery can lead to adverse events, persistent opioid use, and diversion of unused pills. This study aims to assess the extent to which opioids prescribed at discharge after elective colorectal surgery are consumed by patients.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study included adult patients (≥ 18 yo) undergoing elective colorectal surgery at two academic hospitals in Montreal, Canada. Patients completed preoperative questionnaires and data concerning demographics, surgical details, and perioperative care characteristics (including discharge prescriptions) were extracted from electronic medical records. Self-reported opioid consumption was assessed weekly up to 1-month post-discharge. The total number of opioid pills prescribed and consumed after discharge were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Negative binomial regression was used to identify predictors of opioid consumption.

RESULTS

We analyzed 344 patients (58 ± 15 years, 47% female, 65% laparoscopic, 31% rectal resection, median hospital stay 3 days [IQR 1-5], 18% same-day discharge). Most patients received a TAP block (67%). Analgesia prescription at discharge included acetaminophen (92%), NSAIDs (38%), and opioids (92%). The quantity of opioids prescribed at discharge (median 13 pills [IQR 7-20]) was significantly higher than patient-reported consumption at one month (median 0 pills [IQR 0-7]) (p < 0.001). Overall, 51% of patients did not consume any opioids post-discharge, and 63% of the prescribed pills were not used. Increased opioid consumption was associated with younger age (IRR 0.99 [95%CI 0.98-0.99]), higher preoperative anxiety (1.02 [95%CI 1.00-1.04]), rectal resections (IRR 1.45 [95%CI 1.09-1.94]), and number of pills prescribed (1.02 [95%CI 1.01-1.03]).

CONCLUSION

A considerable number of opioid pills prescribed at discharge after elective colorectal surgery are left unused by patients. Certain patient and care characteristics were associated with increased opioid consumption. Our findings indicate that post-discharge analgesia with minimal or no opioids may be feasible and warrants further investigation.

Open-Label Randomized Clinical Trial to Assess the Effects of Preoperative Acupuncture in High Anxiety Patients Undergoing Total Knee or Hip Arthroplasty

Background: Preoperative state anxiety is a known predisposing factor for enhanced postoperative pain and hindered recovery following total knee or hip replacement. Acupuncture administered preoperatively has been associated with reduced anxiety in surgical studies, yet evidence of its efficacy in the orthopedic surgical setting is limited. Objective: This study investigated the effects of preoperative acupuncture on preoperative anxiety and pain and compared acute postoperative pain between acupuncture and control patient groups. Design: Parallel-arm, open-label, randomized controlled trial. Setting: Bone and Joint Institute, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT. Participants: Sixty middle-aged and elderly men and women with clinically validated preoperative anxiety undergoing elective total hip or knee replacement. Intervention: One-to-one randomization to preoperative acupuncture (n = 30) or no acupuncture treatment (n = 30) on the day of surgery. Coprimary outcomes: Anxiety before and after preoperative acupuncture using the visual analog scale and postsurgical pain using the numeric pain scale. Secondary outcomes: Incidence of acupuncture-related complications, pain before and after acupuncture, nausea and vomiting incidence, opioid consumption, anxiolytics and antiemetics use, and patient satisfaction. Results: Patients reported lower anxiety and pain preoperatively following acupuncture compared with before treatment (both p < 0.001). Postoperatively, the acupuncture group reported lower pain in the first 3 h than the control group, although this difference was not statistically significant. No significant differences in postoperative complications or patient satisfaction were observed between the study groups. Most patients were satisfied with the acupuncture treatment and reported a likelihood of considering preoperative acupuncture for future surgeries. Conclusions: These preliminary findings support that preoperative acupuncture is a safe and effective means to reduce perioperative anxiety and pain in patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement surgery. Additional studies should be conducted to best determine the value of preoperative acupuncture in total hip or knee patients presenting with surgically related anxiety. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (10/31/2023, NCT06099223).

The relationship between preoperative sleep disturbance and acute postoperative pain control: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Poor preoperative sleep quality and impaired sleep continuity may heighten acute postoperative pain intensity and increase analgesic consumption, with negative implications for recovery, mental and physical health. The main objective of the current review was to investigate the relationship between preoperative sleep disturbance and acute postoperative pain control. Four electronic databases were systematically searched from inception to December 2023. Two reviewers screened articles, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias for each included study. The search identified 26 prospective cohort studies and 3 retrospective cohort studies (16104 participants). Of the 29 included studies, 23 focused on preoperative insomnia symptoms, and three studies each focused on preoperative objective sleep continuity or sleep-disordered breathing. Meta-analysis, based on five studies with 1226 participants, showed that clinically significant preoperative insomnia symptoms were associated with moderate to severe pain intensity on the first postoperative day (odds ratio 2.69 (95 % confidence interval 2.03-3.57), p < 0.0001). Qualitative analysis showed relatively robust associations between preoperative insomnia symptoms, impaired sleep continuity and poorer acute, as well as subacute, postoperative pain control. Findings related to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome were mixed. Given that insomnia is a potentially modifiable risk factor, interventions targeting sleep prior to surgery may improve postoperative pain control.

Addition of Liposomal Bupivacaine to Standard Bupivacaine versus Standard Bupivacaine Alone in the Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

The analgesic effect of adding liposomal bupivacaine to standard bupivacaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus block is not known. The authors hypothesized that addition of liposomal bupivacaine would reduce acute postoperative pain compared to standard bupivacaine alone.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Patients and outcome assessors were blinded. Eighty patients undergoing distal radial fracture fixation during regional anesthesia with supraclavicular brachial plexus block were randomized into two groups. The liposomal bupivacaine group received 10 ml 0.5% plain bupivacaine immediately followed by 10 ml 1.33% liposomal bupivacaine (n = 40). The standard bupivacaine group received 20 ml 0.5% plain bupivacaine (n = 40). The primary outcome was weighted area under curve (AUC) numerical rating scale pain score at rest during the first 48 h after surgery. Secondary outcomes included weighted AUC scores for pain with movement, overall benefit with analgesia score, and other functional scores.

RESULTS

For the primary outcome, the liposomal bupivacaine group was associated with statistically significantly lower weighted AUC pain score at rest (0.6 vs. 1.4; P < 0.001) in the first 48 h. Of the secondary outcomes, no difference between treatment groups reached statistical significance with the exception of weighted AUC score for pain with movement (2.3 vs. 3.7; adjusted P < 0.001) and overall benefit with analgesia score (1.1 vs. 1.7; adjusted P = 0.020) in the first 48 h, as well as numerical rating scale pain score at rest (0.5 vs. 1.9; adjusted P < 0.001) and with movement (2.7 vs. 4.9; adjusted P < 0.001) on postoperative day 1. Differences in numerical rating scale pain scores on postoperative days 2, 3, and 4 did not reach the level of statistical significance. There were no statistically significant differences in sensory function.

CONCLUSIONS

Liposomal bupivacaine given via supraclavicular brachial plexus block reduced pain at rest in the early postoperative period.

EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE

Current concepts and targets for preventing the transition of acute to chronic postsurgical pain

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

It is estimated that approximately a third of patients undergoing certain surgeries may report some degree of persistent pain postoperatively. Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) reduces quality of life, is challenging to treat, and has significant socio-economic impact.

RECENT FINDINGS

From an epidemiological perspective, factors that predispose patients to the development of CPSP may be considered in relation to the patient, the procedure or, the care environment. Prevention or management of transition from acute to chronic pain often need a multidisciplinary approach beginning early in the preoperative period and continuing beyond surgical admission. The current concepts regarding the role of central and peripheral nervous systems in chronification of pain may provide targets for future therapies but, the current evidence seems to suggest that a multimodal analgesic approach of preventive analgesia along with a continued follow-up and treatment after hospital discharge may hold the key to identify and manage the transitioning of acute to chronic pain.

SUMMARY

A comprehensive multidisciplinary approach with prior identification of risk factors, minimizing the surgical insult and a culture of utilizing multimodal analgesia and continued surveillance beyond the period of hospitalization is an important step towards reducing the development of chronic pain. A transitional pain service model may accomplish many of these goals.

Efficacy and safety of ketamine wound infiltration for postoperative pain management: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis

Background

Postoperative pain has a huge impact on the patients, families, healthcare practitioners, and healthcare delivery. Pain management with opioid-based analgesics and blind techniques have certain limitations, and ultrasound-based regional analgesia necessitates resources and experience, but ketamine wound infiltration is innovative with few side effects. However, its effectiveness is still uncertain.

Methods

A thorough search was carried out across various databases including PubMed/Medline, Cochrane, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, and LILACS, with no limitations on date or language. Only randomized trials comparing the effectiveness of ketamine wound infiltration for managing postoperative pain were considered for inclusion. Two authors independently conducted data extraction, and the quality of evidence was assessed using GRADEpro software. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) was utilized to ascertain the conclusiveness of the findings.

Results

The review showed that the first analgesic request was higher in the control group as compared to ketamine standard mean difference (SMD)=1.68 (95% CI: 0.95-2.41). The TSA revealed that the cumulative Z-curve crosses both alpha-spending boundaries and reaches the required information size threshold, revealing strong power for current evidence. However, the quality of evidence was moderate.

Conclusion

Despite available evidence, the provision of a firm conclusion is less optimal with current evidence as the included studies were unpowered with low to very low quality of evidence.

Systematic review/meta-analysis on the role of CB1R regulation in sleep-wake cycle in rats

OBJECTIVE

A systematic review/meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1R) regulation on the sleep-wake cycle of rats and to provide new ideas and evidence-based basis for clinical research on the treatment of sleep disorders.

METHODS

We searched Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Chinese Biomedicine Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang, and VIP databases for relevant papers, about the effects of CB1R agonists/antagonists on sleep-wake cycle in rats, from inception to November 2023. Two reviewers performed study screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment using the SYRCLE's risk of bias tool. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Heterogeneity test was performed on the included studies (Test standard α = 0.1). I2 value was used to evaluate the heterogeneity. Forest plot was drawn, and p ≤ 0.05 indicates statistically significant difference.

RESULTS

A total of 16 trials involving 484 experimental rats were included. The methodological quality evaluation results showed that the overall quality of the included studies was low. The results of the meta-analysis showed that single administration of CB1R agonists could shorten the wakefulness (W) time in the first 6 h (h) (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -2.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-3.83, -1.22), p = 0.0002) and 24 h (SMD = -0.84, 95% CI (-1.31, -0.36), p = 0.0005) after administration, prolong nonrapid eye movement sleep (NREM) time (SMD = 1.75, 95% CI (0.54, 2.95), p = 0.005) and rapid eye movement sleep (REM) time (SMD = 1.76, 95% CI (0.26, 3.26), p = 0.02), and increase REM frequency after administration (SMD = 1.67, 95% CI (0.98, 2.35), p < 0.00001), these results were all statistically different. There were no significant differences in sleep latency and average duration of REM. Single administration of CB1R antagonists prolonged the first 6 h W time after administration (SMD = 1.36, 95%CI (0.29, 2.43), p = 0.01), shortened the first 6 h NREM time (SMD = -1.73, 95% CI (-2.88, -0.57), p = 0.003) and REM time (SMD = -2.07, 95% CI (-3.17, -0.96), p = 0.0003) after administration, and increased the frequency of W after administration (SMD = 3.57, 95% CI (1.42, 5.72), p = 0.001). There was no statistical difference in the average duration of W. REM time and REM frequency increased after continuous CB1R agonist withdrawal.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the existing evidence, CB1R played a pivotal role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle in rats. CB1R agonists tended to reduce W time, increase NREM and REM sleep times, boost REM frequency, and promote sleep. Conversely, CB1R antagonists could increase the duration and frequency of W, shorten NREM and REM sleep times, and promote W.

Robotic colorectal resections are associated with less postoperative pain, decreased opioid use, and earlier return to work as compared to the laparoscopic approach

While robotic and laparoscopic surgeries are both minimally invasive in nature, they are intrinsically different approaches and it is critical to understand outcome differences between the two. Studies evaluating pain outcomes and opioid requirement differences between the robotic and laparoscopic colorectal resections are conflicting and often underpowered. In this retrospective, cohort study, we compare postoperative opioid requirements, reported as morphine milligram equivalents (MME), postoperative average and highest pain scores across postoperative days (POD) 0-5, and return to work in patients who underwent robotic versus laparoscopic colorectal resections. The sample size was selected based on power calculations. Daily pain scores and MME were used as outcomes in linear mixed effect models with unstructured covariance between time points. Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for imbalances. Patients in the robotic group required significantly less opioids as measured by MME on all postoperative days (p = 0.004), as well as lower average and highest daily pain scores for POD 0-5 (p = 0.02, and p = 0.006, respectively). In a linear mixed-effects model, robotic resections were associated with a decrease in average pain scores by 0.36 over time (p = 0.03) and 35 fewer MME requirements than the laparoscopic group (p = 0.0004). Patients in the robotic arm had earlier return to work (2.1 vs 3.8 days, p = 0.036). The robotic approach to colorectal resections is associated with significantly less postoperative pain, decreased opioid requirements, and earlier return to work when compared to laparoscopy, suggesting that the robotic platform provides important clinical advantages over the laparoscopic approach.

Poor postoperative pain control is associated with poor long-term patient-reported outcomes after elective spine surgery: an observational cohort study

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

A significant proportion of patients experience poorly controlled surgical pain and fail to achieve satisfactory clinical improvement after spine surgery. However, a direct association between these variables has not been previously demonstrated.

PURPOSE

To investigate the association between poor postoperative pain control and patient-reported outcomes after spine surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

Ambispective cohort study.

PATIENT SAMPLE

Consecutive adult patients (≥18-years old) undergoing inpatient elective cervical or thoracolumbar spine surgery.

OUTCOME MEASURE

Poor surgical outcome was defined as failure to achieve a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 30% improvement on the Oswestry Disability Index or Neck Disability Index at follow-up (3-months, 1-year, and 2-years).

METHODS

Poor pain control was defined as a mean numeric rating scale score of >4 during the first 24-hours after surgery. Multivariable mixed-effects regression was used to investigate the relationship between poor pain control and changes in surgical outcomes while adjusting for known confounders. Secondarily, the Calgary Postoperative Pain After Spine Surgery (CAPPS) Score was investigated for its ability to predict poor surgical outcome.

RESULTS

Of 1294 patients, 47.8%, 37.3%, and 39.8% failed to achieve the MCID at 3-months, 1-year, and 2-years, respectively. The incidence of poor pain control was 56.9%. Multivariable analyses showed poor pain control after spine surgery was independently associated with failure to achieve the MCID (OR 2.35 [95% CI=1.59-3.46], p<.001) after adjusting for age (p=.18), female sex (p=.57), any nicotine products (p=.041), ASA physical status >2 (p<.001), ≥3 motion segment surgery (p=.008), revision surgery (p=.001), follow-up time (p<.001), and thoracolumbar surgery compared to cervical surgery (p=.004). The CAPPS score was also found to be independently predictive of poor surgical outcome.

CONCLUSION

Poor pain control in the first 24-hours after elective spine surgery was an independent risk factor for poor surgical outcome. Perioperative treatment strategies to improve postoperative pain control may lead to improved patient-reported surgical outcomes.

Predicting risk factors for acute pain after hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: an observational case control study

BACKGROUND

Inadequate postoperative analgesia is associated with increased risks of various postoperative complications, longer hospital stay, decreased quality of life and higher costs.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for moderate-to-severe postoperative pain within the first 24 hours and 24-48 hours after major hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery.

METHODS

Data of patients who underwent surgery at the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery in Henan Provincial People's Hospital were collected from January 2018 to August 2020. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the risk factors of postoperative pain.

RESULTS

In total, 2180 patients were included in the final analysis. 183 patients (8.4%) suffered moderate-to-severe pain within 24 hours after operation. The independent risk factors associated with moderate-to-severe pain 24 hours after procedures were younger age (OR, 0.97; 95% CI 0.95 to 0.98, p<0.001), lower body mass index (BMI) (OR, 0.94; 95% CI 0.89 to 0.98, p=0.018), open surgery (OR, 0.34; 95% CI 0.22 to 0.52, p<0.001), and postoperative analgesia protocol with sufentanil (OR, 4.38; 95% CI 3.2 to 5.99, p<0.001). Postoperative hospital stay was longer in patients with inadequate analgesia (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Age, BMI, laparoscopic surgery, and different analgesic drugs were significant predictors of postoperative pain after major hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ChiCTR2100049726.

Utilizing Local Anesthesia Only for Penile and Scrotal Urologic Surgery: A Prospective Study on Patient Tolerability and Surgical Outcomes for a Sedation-free Option

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively assess surgical outcomes, complications, and patient-reported tolerability of invasive scrotal surgeries under local anesthesia (LA) alone, without sedation, compared to tolerability of penile procedures commonly performed in this manner.

METHODS

Adult patients undergoing penile and scrotal surgeries under LA only were enrolled from August 2022 to June 2023 (NCT05617261). Demographics, surgeon-perceived and patient-reported pain, and surgical variables were collected. Tolerability to the procedures and future anesthetic choice for a repeat procedure was assessed on follow-up. Complication data were collected, including recurrence, infection, excessive pain, and emergency room and family physician visits.

RESULTS

Hundred and seven patients were enrolled with a mean age ± SD of 42.2 ± 16.4 years. There was a 100% procedural success rate and no cases of perioperative complications or escalation of anesthetic. Around 92.4% (n = 97) of patients indicated they would opt for LA only for a hypothetical repeat procedure. Of the minority opting for general anesthetic, most indicated discomfort or preferring an element of amnesia. No differences between intraoperative pain or tolerability scores of invasive scrotal procedures compared to penile procedures were observed. On univariate analysis, longer procedure duration (P = .003), cannabis use (P = .01), and higher intra-operative pain (P = .005) was associated with lower tolerability.

CONCLUSION

LA alone in an office-based setting is promising for scrotal surgeries. It offers similarly high patient tolerability compared to procedures that are routinely performed under LA, with the preservation of outcomes. Adopting this method has the potential for substantial cost savings, reduced wait times, enhanced accessibility, and improved surgical efficiency.

Effect of age on postoperative 24-hour moderate-to-severe pain after radical resection of lung cancer-specific pain in the post-anaesthesia care unit: a single-centre retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To explore the relationship between age and postoperative 24-hour moderate-to-severe pain after radical resection of lung cancer and the specific effect of moderate-to-severe pain in the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) on this relationship.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Single medical centre.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients ≥18 years having radical resection of lung cancer between 2018 and 2020.

MEASUREMENTS

Postoperative 24-hour moderate-to-severe pain.

RESULTS

A total of 3764 patients were included in the analysis. The incidence of postoperative 24-hour moderate-to-severe pain was 28.3%. Age had a significant effect on the prediction model of postoperative 24-hour moderate-to-severe pain. Among the whole population and those without moderate-to-severe pain in the PACU, those who were younger than 58.5 years were prone to experience moderate-to-severe pain 24 hours after surgery, and in patients with moderate-to-severe pain in the PACU, the age threshold was 62.5 years.

CONCLUSION

For patients who underwent elective radical resection for lung cancer, age was related to postoperative 24-hour moderate-to-severe pain, and moderate-to-severe pain in the PACU had a specific effect on this relationship. Patients among the whole population and those patients without moderate-to-severe pain in the PACU were more likely to experience postoperative 24-hour moderate-to-severe pain when they were younger than 58.5 years old, and in patients with moderate-to-severe pain in the PACU, the age threshold was 62.5 years old.

Exploring the Potential of a Smart Ring to Predict Postoperative Pain Outcomes in Orthopedic Surgery Patients

Poor pain alleviation remains a problem following orthopedic surgery, leading to prolonged recovery time, increased morbidity, and prolonged opioid use after hospitalization. Wearable device data, collected during postsurgical recovery, may help ameliorate poor pain alleviation because a patient's physiological state during the recovery process may be inferred from sensor data. In this study, we collected smart ring data from 37 inpatients following orthopedic surgery and developed machine learning models to predict if a patient had postsurgical poor pain alleviation. Machine learning models based on the smart ring data were able to predict if a patient had poor pain alleviation during their hospital stay with an accuracy of 70.0%, an F1-score of 0.769, and an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.762 on an independent test dataset. These values were similar to performance metrics from existing models that rely on static, preoperative patient factors. Our results provide preliminary evidence that wearable device data may help control pain after orthopedic surgery by incorporating real-time, objective estimates of a patient's pain during recovery.

Perioperatives Schmerzempfinden von Patienten bei dermatochirurgischen Eingriffen in Lokalanästhesie – Eine prospektive Beobachtungsstudie

Hintergrund

Dermatochirurgische Eingriffe finden überwiegend in Lokalanästhesie statt, jedoch gibt es nur wenig Studien zum perioperativen Schmerzmanagement ausgedehnter oder mehrzeitiger Operationen. Das Ziel dieser Erhebung ist die Erfassung von Schmerzen im Rahmen dermatochirurgischer Eingriffe, der Darstellung der perioperativen Schmerztherapie sowie der Identifizierung von Einflussfaktoren auf das Schmerzempfinden.

Patienten und Methodik

In diese prospektive, monozentrische Studie wurden stationäre Patienten von April bis Dezember 2021 eingeschlossen, die einen dermatochirurgischen Eingriff in Lokalanästhesie erhielten. Präoperativ wurden demographische Fragen, ein Schmerzfragebogen und vier psychometrische Fragebögen (PCS, LOT‐R, SFQ, PHQ‐9) erhoben. Postoperativ empfundene Schmerzen und benötigte Schmerzmedikamente der ersten 24 Stunden wurden erhoben.

Ergebnisse

120 Patienten (mit insgesamt 191 Eingriffen) wurden eingeschlossen. Durchschnittliche postoperative Schmerzen wurden sehr niedrig (NRS < 2) angegeben. Präoperativ bestehende Schmerzen und postoperativ erwartete Schmerzen zeigten sich als prädiktive Merkmale für postoperativen Schmerz. Ein starker Zusammenhang zwischen Katastrophisieren und Angst vor der Operation (r = 0,65) sowie ein mittlerer Zusammenhang für Depression und Angst vor der Operation (r = 0,46) konnten dargestellt werden.

Schlussfolgerungen

Dermatochirurgische Eingriffe in Lokalanästhesie werden insgesamt als schmerzarm empfunden. Bei der präoperativen Aufklärung und Untersuchung sollte auf Patienten geachtet werden, die bereits Schmerzen angeben oder postoperativ Schmerzen erwarten, da sie ein erhöhtes Risiko für die Entwicklung postoperativer Schmerzen zeigten.

Pain Predictors in Patients in the Postanesthesia Care Unit

PURPOSE

To analyze the effects of pain-predicting factors on patients in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU).

DESIGN

This is an observational and prospective study.

METHODS

This study was conducted at a University Hospital in the state of Minas Gerais (Brazil). To collect data on demographic, clinical, and surgical factors, a collection instrument was devised. The verbal numerical scale was employed to measure pain levels before and after surgery in the PACU. A path analysis was used to assess a predictive model.

FINDINGS

A total of 226 patients were included in this study. The incidence of pain in the PACU was 31.9%. A model with demographic, clinical, and surgical variables was tested. The final model, after including modification indices, obtained results that indicated an acceptable data fit (comparative fit index = 0.996; root mean square error of approximation = 0.08). Age (being young), sex (being a woman), oncological diagnosis as an indication for the surgical procedure, type of surgery (surgery of the digestive system), duration of surgery (longer surgeries), and high intraoperative doses of opioids were predictive variables for pain in the PACU.

CONCLUSIONS

This study's findings provide support for pain management in the PACU. Furthermore, the results of this research can be used to anticipate the occurrence of acute postoperative pain and personalized perioperative analgesia needs.

Implementing an Evidence-Based Functional Pain Assessment Scale in an Adult Inpatient Unit

BACKGROUND

The focus on pain assessment using a single, one-dimension pain assessment scale can be problematic. Locally, challenges we faced with this were; a) pain was percieved as not being effectively managed, b) patients with chronic pain were not having their pain adequately controlled, and c) misconceptions and subsequent confusion between health care teams and patients related to what pain intensity scores mean to each individual.

AIMS

The purpose of this paper is to describe an evidence-based practice project aiming at improving pain assessment through the implementation of a Functional Pain Scale (FPS) on an adult inpatient cardiothoracic unit.

DESIGN

The Iowa Model-Revised and the Implementation Strategies for Evidence- Based Practice Guide served as the framework for this project.

SETTING

Over an 18-month period at a academic tertiary medical center in the midwest.

PARTICIPANTS/SUBJECTS

Staff and patients on an adult inpatient 48-bed medical and surgical cardiothoracic unit.

METHODS

Following a synthesis of the evidence, implementation of the FPS required various strategies, such as, individualized patient and staff education, audit and feedback, a pain policy revision, and creating documentation in the electronic medical record. Evaluation of the FPS consisted of patient and staff surveys pre- and postimplementation to assess knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.

RESULTS

After the pilot period, over 75% of the patients preferred to use the FPS and almost all the patients found the scale easy to use. Nurses reported an increase in perception that pain documentation was complete, that the FPS allowed them to accurately document their patients' pain experience, and that their patients were well informed of their pain management plan.

CONCLUSIONS

This project supports successful implementation of the FPS within nursing workflow. The goal of using the FPS is to change pain management discussions from an intensity reduction to meeting goals of care, aligning expectations, and creating common language among patients and providers.

Perioperative pain perception in patients undergoing dermatologic surgery with local anesthesia - A prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Dermatosurgical procedures are predominantly performed under local anesthesia, yet there are few studies on perioperative pain management for extensive or staged procedures under local anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to assess pain during dermatologic surgery, describe perioperative pain management, and identify factors that influence pain perception.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This prospective, monocentric study included inpatients undergoing dermatologic surgery under local anesthesia from April to December 2021. Preoperative demographic data, a pain questionnaire, and four psychometric questionnaires (PCS, LOT-R, SFQ, PHQ-9) were collected. Postoperative pain and analgesic use during the first 24 hours were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 120 patients (with a total of 191 interventions) were included in the study. Mean postoperative pain was reported to be very low (NRS < 2). Preoperative pain and expected postoperative pain were found to be predictive of postoperative pain. There was a strong correlation between catastrophizing and preoperative anxiety (r = 0.65) and a moderate correlation between depression and preoperative anxiety (r = 0.46).

CONCLUSIONS

Dermatologic surgery under local anesthesia is generally considered painless. During preoperative counseling and assessment, attention should be paid to patients who fear surgery, report pain, or anticipate postoperative pain, as they have an increased risk of experiencing postoperative pain.

Predicting the Severity of Acute Pain after Cesarean Delivery: A Narrative Review

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW

Cesarean delivery is one of the most common surgical procedures performed worldwide. Approximately 28-78% of the patients have reported experiencing severe pain after Cesarean delivery, which is associated with adverse outcomes. Current analgesic management strategies employ a one-size-fits-all approach, which may not be suitable for all post-Cesarean patients. Our ongoing research and the purpose of this review are focusing on preoperative risk assessment to identify patients at risk of severe pain or needing higher doses of opioid or other analgesics.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent clinical investigations have found that by utilizing the demographic and psychological evaluations, screening tests, quantitative sensory testing, and assessment of response to local anesthetic infiltration, clinicians were potentially able to stratify the risks for severe post-cesarean pain. Several modalities demonstrated significant correlations with pain outcomes, although most of these correlations were weak to modest. Since consensus statement regarding predicting post-CD pain control are still lacking, these correlations can be clinically helpful. It is possible to identify patients at high risk of developing severe acute pain after cesarean section by preoperative demographic data, screening questionnaires, or other tools. Further studies are needed to identify additional variables or screening tools for more accurate prediction and investigate whether personalized analgesic regimens can lead to improved analgesic outcomes.

Prospective cohort study investigating frequency and risk factors for acute pain 1 day after refractive surgery

BACKGROUND/AIMS

To examine demographic and clinical factors associated with ocular pain 1 day after refractive surgery.

METHODS

Prospective study of individuals undergoing refractive surgery. Participants rated their ocular pain on a 0-10 numerical rating scale (NRS) presurgery and 1 day after surgery. Presurgery, participants completed questionnaires on demographics, comorbidities, medications and dry eye and ocular pain symptoms; and an anaesthetised Schirmer test was performed. Acute ocular pain 1 day after surgery was defined as an NRS score of worst pain since surgery ≥3 and this group was compared with individuals with NRS scores<3.

RESULTS

251 individuals underwent refractive surgery (89% laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, n=222; 11% PRK, n=29). Mean age was 35±8 years (range 19 to 60); 60% (n=150) self-identified as female, 80% (n=203) as White, and 36% (n=89) as Hispanic. Thirteen (5%) individuals reported ocular pain (NRS ≥3) prior to surgery and 67% (n=168) reported ocular pain 1 day after surgery (nine individuals had pain at both time points). Factors that were associated with pain 1 day after surgery included Hispanic ethnicity (adjusted relative risk (aRR) 1.42, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.68, p<0.001) and the presence of eye pain presurgery (aRR 1.10, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.18, p=0.02).

CONCLUSION

A majority of individuals report moderate or greater pain within 24 hours of refractive surgery. Hispanic ethnicity and eye pain prior to surgery were associated with self-reported acute postsurgical pain.

Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation and narrow-band auditory stimulation on the intraoperative electroencephalogram: an exploratoratory feasibility study

Introduction

During general anesthesia, frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) activity in the alpha frequency band (8-12 Hz) correlates with the adequacy of analgesia. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and auditory stimulation, two noninvasive neuromodulation techniques, can entrain alpha activity in awake or sleeping patients. This study evaluates their effects on alpha oscillations in patients under general anesthesia.

Methods

30 patients receiving general anesthesia for surgery were enrolled in this two-by-two randomized clinical trial. Each participant received active or sham tDCS followed by auditory stimulation or silence according to assigned group (TDCS/AUD, TDCS/SIL, SHAM/AUD, SHAM/SIL). Frontal EEG was recorded before and after neuromodulation. Patients with burst suppression, mid-study changes in anesthetic, or incomplete EEG recordings were excluded from analysis. The primary outcome was post-stimulation change in oscillatory alpha power, compared in each intervention group against the change in the control group SHAM/SIL by Wilcoxon Rank Sum testing.

Results

All 30 enrolled participants completed the study. Of the 22 included for analysis, 8 were in TDCS/AUD, 4 were in TDCS/SIL, 5 were in SHAM/AUD, and 5 were in SHAM/SIL. The median change in oscillatory alpha power was +4.7 dB (IQR 4.4, 5.8 dB) in SHAM/SIL, +2.8 dB (IQR 1.5, 8.9 dB) in TDCS/SIL (p = 0.730), +5.5 dB in SHAM/AUD (p = 0.421), and -6.1 dB (IQR -10.2, -2.2 dB) in TDCS/AUD (p = 0.045).

Conclusion

tDCS and auditory stimulation can be administered safely intraoperatively. However, these interventions did not increase alpha power as administered and measured in this pilot study.

Postoperative pain at Landspitali: A prospective study

BACKGROUND

Moderate or severe postoperative pain is common despite advances in surgical technique and perioperative analgesia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of postoperative pain following procedures requiring anaesthesia and identify factors associated with increased risk of postoperative pain.

METHODS

Surgical patients ≥18 years of age were prospectively questioned on level of current pain on a numerical rating scale (NRS) from 0 to 10 in the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) and on resting, active and worst pain experienced in the first 24 h postoperatively. Clinical data was obtained from medical records. Descriptive statistics were applied, and predictors of worst pain assessed as moderate/severe (NRS ≥ 5) on postoperative day one were assessed using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of 438 included participants, moderate/severe pain occurred in 29% on the day of surgery and 70% described their worst pain as moderate/severe on postoperative day one. Procedures with the highest incidence of moderate/severe pain on the day of surgery were gynaecology-, plastic-, abdominal-, breast-, and orthopaedic procedures. On postoperative day one, patients undergoing vascular-, orthopaedic-, and abdominal operations most commonly rated their worst pain as moderate/severe. Female sex (OR = 2.15, 95% Cl 1.21-3.88, p = .010), chronic preoperative pain (OR = 4.20, 95% Cl 2.41-7.51, p < .001), undergoing a major procedure (OR = 2.07, 95% Cl 1.15-3.80, p = .017), and any intraoperative remifentanil administration (OR = 2.16, 95% Cl 1.20-3.94, p = .01) had increased odds of rating the worst pain as moderate/severe. Increased age (OR = 0.66 per 10 years (95% Cl 0.55-0.78, p < .001)) and undergoing breast-, gynaecology-, otolaryngology-, and neurosurgery (OR = 0.15-0.34, p < .038) was associated with lower odds of moderate/severe pain on postoperative day one.

DISCUSSION

In our cohort, patients rated their current pain in the PACU similarly to other studies. However, the ratio of patients rating the worst pain experienced as moderate/severe on postoperative day one was relatively high. The identified patient- and procedural-related factors associated with higher odds of postoperative pain highlight a subgroup of patients who may benefit from enhanced perioperative monitoring and pain management strategies.

Evaluation of the effect of intraoperative tropisetron on postoperative rebound pain after brachial plexus block: a randomized controlled trial

Introduction

Postoperative rebound pain after peripheral nerve block increases patient suffering and delays recovery after surgery.

Objectives

We tested whether the 5HT-3 receptor antagonist and α7nAChR agonist tropisetron could prevent postoperative rebound pain.

Methods

A total of 115 patients were randomized to receive 5-mg/5-mL tropisetron or the same volume of normal saline. Pain intensity was measured with the numerical rating scale of pain (NRS). Rebound pain was defined as a change from mild pain (NRS ≤ 3) measured in the postanesthesia care unit to severe pain (NRS ≥ 7) within 24 hours after peripheral nerve blockade. Logistic regression was used to identify relevant factors associated with postoperative rebound pain.

Results

Tropisetron did not affect the NRS score or the incidence of rebound pain after peripheral nerve block. Logistic regression revealed that preoperative pain, bone surgery, and length of incision were risk factors for postoperative rebound pain, and patient-controlled analgesia was protective against postoperative rebound pain.

Conclusion

Tropisetron does not affect the incidence of rebound pain after peripheral nerve block. Patients at high risk of postoperative rebound pain should be identified for appropriate management. Registration site: www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2300069994).

Opioid requirement and pain intensity after mandibular surgeries with dexmedetomidine administration in two ways: intraoperative infusion versus bolus injection

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to compare the opioid requirement and pain intensity after surgeries of mandibular fractures with administration of dexmedetomidine by two approaches of infusion and single bolus.

METHODS

In this double-blind clinical trial, the participants were randomized and matched in terms of age and gender in two groups (infusion and bolus). In both groups, the amount of narcotic used, hemodynamic indices, oxygen saturation, and pain intensity were collected based on the ten-point Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at 7 time points for 24 h. SPSS version 24 software was used for data analysis. A significance level of less than 5% was considered.

RESULTS

A total of 40 patients were included in the study. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of gender, age, ASA class, and duration of surgery (P>0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of nausea and vomiting and subsequently receiving anti-nausea medication (P>0.05). The need for opioid consumption after surgery was not different in two groups (P>0.05). Infusion of dexmedetomidine reduced postoperative pain more rapidly than its single bolus dose (P<0.05). However, over time, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of changes in oxygen saturation variables (P>0.05). Homodynamic indices including heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure in the bolus group were significantly lower than the infusion group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Administration of dexmedetomidine in the form of infusion can reduce postoperative pain better than bolus injection, with less probability of hypotension and bradycardia.

Factors Affecting Postoperative Pain Beliefs Among Surgical Patients in Türkiye: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Frequency, ability to cope, and severity of pain; the genetic structure of the individual affects their emotional and cultural characteristics, beliefs, and personal characteristics. It is stated that pain beliefs are one of the factors affecting emotional pain control and approach to pain.

AIMS

This study, it is aimed to determine the pain beliefs of individuals experiencing postoperative pain.

METHODS

Cross-sectional descriptive study. Surgical services of a single secondary care hospital. 170 patients who were in the first week after surgery, experienced acute pain, were between the ages of 18-65, and did not have a psychiatric disorder were evaluated. Collection Tools: Postoperative pain levels of the patients were evaluated with a Visual Analog Scale. As the VAS score increases, the pain level increases. Pain beliefs were evaluated with the Pain Beliefs Scale. Pain Beliefs Scale increases in the score obtained from the sub-score of the scale indicate that the pain beliefs related to that test are high. A student T-Test was used for bivariate comparisons between groups. One-way ANOVA was used to compare trivariate groups. In addition, Spearman's Correlation analysis was performed. Statistically, a confidence interval of >95% was used. The statistical significance level was set as p < 0.05.

RESULTS

It was found that the pain levels of the patients participating in the study were low and the scores they received from the Pain Beliefs Scale subscales were moderate. It was determined that those with lower education levels had higher scale scores in the psychological beliefs sub-dimension of the Pain Beliefs Scale. In the organic beliefs sub-dimension, it was determined that those with lower income levels had higher organic beliefs. It was determined that the postoperative pain experienced did not affect pain beliefs (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

It was concluded that there was no relationship between the pain level and pain beliefs of patients with low pain in the postoperative period. Individuals experiencing postoperative pain believe that pain occurs due to the influence of both organic and psychological factors. For this reason, it is recommended factors that nurses who care for individuals experiencing postoperative pain provide care for both organic and psychological sources of pain.

Risk Factors for Acute Postsurgical Pain: A Narrative Review

Acute postsurgical pain (APSP) has received growing attention as a surgical outcome. When poorly controlled, APSP can affect short- and long-term outcomes in patients. Despite the steady increase in awareness about postoperative pain and standardization of pain prevention and treatment strategies, moderate-to-severe APSP is frequently reported in clinical practice. This is possibly because pain varies widely among individuals and is influenced by distinct factors, such as demographic, perioperative, psychological, and genetic factors. This review investigates the risk factors for APSP, including gender, age, obesity, smoking history, preoperative pain history, pain sensitivity, preoperative anxiety, depression, pain catastrophizing, expected postoperative pain, surgical fear, and genetic polymorphisms. By identifying patients having an increased risk of moderate-to-severe APSP at an early stage, clinicians can more effectively manage individualized analgesic treatment protocols with a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. This would alleviate the transition from APSP to chronic pain and reduce the severity of APSP-induced chronic physical disability and social psychological distress.

Efficacy and Safety of Ultrasound Guided Inter-semispinal Plane Block for Postoperative Analgesia in Posterior Cervical Laminectomy - A Prospective Randomised Controlled Study

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the safety and efficacy of an ultrasound-guided ISP block for postoperative analgesia in posterior cervical laminectomy.

METHODS

88 patients requiring posterior cervical laminectomy were randomized into two groups, those who underwent ISP block with multimodal analgesia (ISPB group) and those with only multimodal analgesia (control group). Demographic details, intraoperative parameters (blood loss, duration of surgery, perioperative total opioid consumption, muscle relaxants used), and postoperative parameters (numeric rating scale, satisfaction score, mobilization time, and complications) were recorded.

RESULTS

The total opioid consumption (128.41 + 39.65vs 284.09 + 140.92mcg; P < .001), muscle relaxant usage (46.14 + 6.18 mg vs 59.32 + 3.97 mg; P < .001), surgical duration (128.61 + 26.08/160.23 + 30.99mins; P < .01), and intra-operative blood loss (233.18 + 66.08 mL vs 409.77 + 115.41 mL; P < .01) were significantly less in the ISPB group compared to the control. In the postoperative period, the control group's pain score was significantly higher (P < .001) in the initial 48 hours. The Modified Observer Alertness/Sedation Score (MOASS) score and satisfaction scores were significantly better in the ISPB compared to the control (P < .001). The mean time required to ambulate was statistically less in ISPB (4.30 + 1.64hours) when compared to controls (9.48 + 3.07hours) (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

In patients undergoing posterior cervical laminectomy, ISP block is a safe and effective technique with better outcomes than standard multi-modal analgesia alone, in terms of reduced intra-operative opioid requirements and blood loss, better postoperative analgesia, and early mobilization.

Predicting Postoperative Pain and Opioid Use with Machine Learning Applied to Longitudinal Electronic Health Record and Wearable Data

BACKGROUND

 Managing acute postoperative pain and minimizing chronic opioid use are crucial for patient recovery and long-term well-being.

OBJECTIVES

 This study explored using preoperative electronic health record (EHR) and wearable device data for machine-learning models that predict postoperative acute pain and chronic opioid use.

METHODS

 The study cohort consisted of approximately 347 All of Us Research Program participants who underwent one of eight surgical procedures and shared EHR and wearable device data. We developed four machine learning models and used the Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) technique to identify the most relevant predictors of acute pain and chronic opioid use.

RESULTS

 The stacking ensemble model achieved the highest accuracy in predicting acute pain (0.68) and chronic opioid use (0.89). The area under the curve score for severe pain versus other pain was highest (0.88) when predicting acute postoperative pain. Values of logistic regression, random forest, extreme gradient boosting, and stacking ensemble ranged from 0.74 to 0.90 when predicting postoperative chronic opioid use. Variables from wearable devices played a prominent role in predicting both outcomes.

CONCLUSION

 SHAP detection of individual risk factors for severe pain can help health care providers tailor pain management plans. Accurate prediction of postoperative chronic opioid use before surgery can help mitigate the risk for the outcomes we studied. Prediction can also reduce the chances of opioid overuse and dependence. Such mitigation can promote safer and more effective pain control for patients during their recovery.

The Effect of Preoperative Pain, Fear, and Anxiety on Postoperative Pain in Urological Surgery Patients: A Descriptive and Correlational Study

PURPOSE

The study was conducted to determine the effect of preoperative pain, fear, and anxiety on postoperative pain and analgesia use in urology patients.

DESIGN

A descriptive and correlational design was used.

METHODS

The population of the study consisted of patients who were hospitalized in the Urology clinic of a university hospital and were planning surgery. The sample consisted of 106 patients who met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in the study. The study's data was collected using the Personal Information Form, Analgesia Follow-up Form, Surgical Fear Questionnaire, Surgical Anxiety Questionnaire, and Visual Analog Scale prepared in line with the literature. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, and linear regression analysis were used to evaluate the data.

FINDINGS

A positive linear relationship was found between postoperative pain and surgical anxiety, surgical fear, and preoperative pain (P < .05). Regression analysis revealed that preoperative pain (P = .006) affected the level of postoperative pain. In addition, fear of surgery (P = .035) and postoperative pain (P = .000) were found to affect the use of postoperative 24-hour analgesia.

CONCLUSIONS

The study revealed a relationship between the postoperative pain experienced by the patients and preoperative pain, fear, and anxiety.

Pain Neuroscience Education in elective surgery patients: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) consists of an educational strategy that seeks to understand the biological processes of pain and how to control it. The main objective of this study will be to evaluate the impact of PNE on outcomes related to the postoperative period. The hypothesis is that the intervention may positively influence postoperative recovery, contributing to pain control, clinical indications, acceptance and consumption of analgesics and other pharmacological drugs that contribute to its control, as well as psychological aspects, such as anxiety, depression and pain catastrophising.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This will be an open, parallel, multicentre and randomised controlled clinical trial. A total of 100 participants aged between 18 and 59 years of age, of both genders, who are going to have elective general surgery will be evaluated. The intervention group will participate in a preoperative pain neuroscience educational session and also receive usual preoperative care, while the control group receives usual preoperative care as well. The educational session will last 30 min and consists of a video (5:20 min), a questionnaire about the content, time for participants to express their beliefs, thoughts and doubts. Participants will be evaluated preoperatively and there will be one postintervention evaluation. The intensity and characteristics of pain and anxiety are evaluated as primary outcomes. As secondary outcomes, pain catastrophising and depression are taken into account.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Ceilandia, the Research Ethics Committee of the Institute of Strategic Health Management of the Federal District and the Research Council of the Hospital of Brasília-Rede Dasa (CAAE: 28572420.3.0000.8093). Recruitment began in June of 2023. All participants were included in the study only after their written consent. All data obtained will be analysed and distributed through publication in journals and at scientific events.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC) (RBR-23mr7yy).

Acute postoperative pain prevalence and intensity in the first 72 hour in Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia: a prospective single center observational study

Background

Postoperative pain is poorly studied in developing countries. Severe pain after surgery remains a major problem, occurring in 50-70% of the patients. Differences exist across countries. Despite numerous published studies, the degree of pain following many types of surgery in everyday clinical practice is unknown. To improve postoperative pain-treatment and develop procedure-specific, optimized pain-treatment protocols, the prevalence and severity of postoperative pain must first be identified.

Objective

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and intensity of acute postoperative pain and the practice of postoperative pain management.

Methods

A total of 180 patients were enrolled in the study, with 160 calculated using a single population proportion formula and a 10% attrition rate added, with proportionate stratification according to the size of each ward to obtain the number of participants from each specialty ward. A multistage sampling with stratified proportionate at the initial stages and a simple random sampling technique at the final stage was used. The patients completed a numerical pain rating scale for pain immediately after surgery for the first 72 h after surgery. The prevalence of mild, moderate, or severe pain was calculated. The evaluation was performed at eight time points including immediately after surgery: T2, T4, T8, T12, T24, T48, and T72.

Result

The prevalence of severe pain in patients who underwent elective surgery in the study period measured by numeric rating scale was 21.6, 43.9, 45.6, 28.9, 39.4, 10.5, and 13.4% at 2nd, 4th, 8th, 12th, 24th, 48th and 72 h, respectively.

Conclusion

The prevalence of moderate-to-severe pain within 72 h postoperatively was slightly lower than that other studies conducted in Ethiopia reported. This was still high, indicating better pain management in the postoperative period. Involvement of the anesthetist in pain management is crucial for better patient management.

Risk Factors of Acute Pain in Elderly Patients After Laparoscopic Radical Resection of Colorectal Cancer

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the risk factors of acute pain after laparoscopic radical resection of colorectal cancer (CRC) in elderly patients.

METHODS

Totally, 143 elderly patients (≥ 60 y old) who received laparoscopic radical resection of CRC in the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from March 2021 to August 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to visual analog scale (VAS) scores 24 h after surgery: mild pain group (VAS score ≤ 3, n=108) and moderate to severe pain group (VAS score >3, n=35). The data of the patients, including sex, age, height, body mass, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative urine volume, intraoperative opioid dosage, operation duration, preoperative Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores, preoperative Mini-Mental State Examination scores, VAS scores, postoperative nausea and vomiting scores were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to screen the risk factors of postoperative acute pain in elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic radical resection of CRC.

RESULTS

The preoperative HADS score of the moderate to severe pain group was significantly increased compared with that of the mild pain group (10.8±2.4 vs. 6.2±1.9), as well as the operation duration (226.4±18.3 vs. 186.1±12.7), the intraoperative dosage of remifentanil (3.7±0.2 vs. 3.2±0.4), the preoperative VAS score [4(2, 7) vs. 2 (0, 4)] and postoperative VAS score [5 (4, 6) vs. 3 (2, 3)] ( P <0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that high preoperative HADS score, long operation duration, and high preoperative VAS score ( P <0.05) were independent risk factors for acute pain after laparoscopic radical resection of CRC in elderly patients.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative anxiety and depression, preoperative pain, and long operation duration are risk factors for acute pain in elderly patients after laparoscopic radical resection of CRC.

Efficacy of quadratus lumborum block in the treatment of acute and chronic pain after cesarean section: A systematic review and meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

This analysis aimed to explore the analgesic effects of quadratus lumborum block on acute and chronic postoperative pain among patients undergoing cesarean section.

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and VIP databases for Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) that focused on the use of quadratus lumborum block in cesarean section procedures were searched from the inception of the databases until December 2022. Studies were screened based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, and were then conducted for quality assessment and data extraction. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 15.0 software. Two researchers independently screened the studies, extracted data, and evaluated the risk of bias for the included studies. In case of any disagreements, it was resolved by consultation with a third party opinion.

RESULTS

A total of 21 studies involving 1976 patients were finally included, with an overall acceptable study quality level. Compared to the control group, the administration of Quadratus Lumborum Block (QLB) resulted in significant reduction in the postoperative 24-hour visual analog scale (VAS) score (WMD = -0.69, 95% CI: -1.03 ~ -0.35, P < .001) and the consumption of opioid analgesics within 24 hours after surgery (WMD = -2.04, 95% CI: -2.15 ~ -1.92, P = .002). The incidence of chronic pain 3 months QLB (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.09 ~ 1.88, P = .253) and 6 months (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.33 ~ 2.07, P = .686) after surgery were observed to increase as compared with the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of QLB for postoperative analgesia after cesarean section, particularly in the relief of acute postoperative pain, had been proven to significantly decrease the VAS score and morphine consumption within the first 24 hours after surgery. However, further studies are needed to determine its impact on managing chronic postoperative pain.

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

BACKGROUND

Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.

METHODS

This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.

RESULTS

The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (β coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.

CONCLUSION

Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely.

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

BACKGROUND

Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.

METHODS

This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.

RESULTS

The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (β coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.

CONCLUSION

Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely.

Epidural analgesia versus oral morphine for postoperative pain management following video-assisted thoracic surgery: A randomised, controlled, double-blind trial

BACKGROUND

The use of thoracic epidural analgesia for postoperative pain management in video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is controversial. Still, the evidence on omitting it in favour of systemic opioids is inconclusive, and studies are small and non-blinded.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to compare pain after VATS using epidural analgesia or enteral opioids for postoperative pain management.

DESIGN/SETTING/PATIENTS/INTERVENTION

A randomised, double-blind, controlled trial at a Danish tertiary hospital. Adult patients scheduled for VATS were assigned to multimodal non-opioid baseline analgesia supplemented with either thoracic epidural analgesia (TE Group) or oral morphine (OM Group) for postoperative pain management. We recorded pain five times a day, both at rest and during activity, using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and categorised it into "acceptable pain" or "unacceptable pain". Unacceptable pain was defined as NRS (at rest) ≥3 or NRS (with activity) ≥5 when supplementary analgesics were given.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcomes were the proportions of patients experiencing "unacceptable pain" during the postoperative period and the use of intravenous "rescue" opioids.

RESULTS

Of the 161 included patients, 146 received the allocated treatment and their data were analysed. At rest, 34% of patients in the TE Group and 64% of patients in the OM Group experienced unacceptable pain during the study period, a significant between-group difference of 30% ( P  < 0.0005). During activity these percentages were 32% of patients in the TE Group and 59% in the OM group, a difference of 27% ( P  < 0.005). The median intravenous rescue morphine consumption during the study period was 4.5 [interquartile range (IQR), 0-10.0] mg in the TE Group and 7.5 [0-19.0] mg in the OM Group ( P  < 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Epidural analgesia provided better pain relief after VATS than oral morphine. The between-group difference in rescue intravenous morphine consumption was statistically significant but clinically irrelevant.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02359175).

The association of intraoperative opioid dose with postanesthesia care unit outcomes in children: a retrospective study

PURPOSE

In children, the relationship between the dose of intraoperative opioid and postoperative outcomes is unclear. We examined the relationship between intraoperative opioid dose and postanesthesia care unit (PACU) pain scores and opioid and antiemetic administrations.

METHODS

We performed a single-institution retrospective cohort study. Patients who were aged < 19 yr, had an American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status of I-III, were undergoing one of 11 procedures under general anesthesia and without regional anesthesia, and who were admitted to the PACU were included. Patients were analyzed by quartiles of total intraoperative opioid dose using multivariable regression, adjusting for confounders including procedure. An exploratory analysis of opioid-free anesthetics was also performed.

RESULTS

Three thousand, seven hundred and thirty-three cases were included, and the mean age of included patients was 8.3 yr. After adjustment, there were no significant differences between the lowest and higher quartiles for first conscious pain score, mean pain score, PACU opioid dose, or PACU length of stay; in addition, estimated differences were small. Patients in higher quartiles were estimated to be more likely to receive antiemetics, significantly so for those in the second quartile. Patients in the lowest quartile received significantly more intraoperative nonopioid analgesics. In the exploratory analysis, no significant difference in PACU pain scores was found in cases without intraoperative opioids.

CONCLUSIONS

Children who received lower doses of intraoperative opioids did not have worse PACU pain outcomes but required fewer antiemetics and received greater numbers of nonopioid analgesics intraoperatively. These findings suggest that lower doses of intraoperative opioids may be administered to children as long as other analgesics are used.

Inpatient pain alleviation after orthopaedic trauma surgery-are we doing a good job?

PURPOSE

Poor pain alleviation (PPA) after orthopaedic surgery is known to increase recovery time, readmissions, patient dissatisfaction, and lead to chronic postsurgical pain. This study's goal was to identify the magnitude of PPA and its risk factors in the orthopaedic trauma patient population.

METHODS

A single-institution's electronic medical records from 2015 to 2018 were available for retrospective analysis. Inclusion criteria included orthopaedic fracture surgery patients admitted to the hospital for 24 h or more. Collected variables included surgery type, basic demographics, comorbidities, inpatient medications, pain scores, and length of stay. PPA was defined as a pain score of ≥ 8 on at least three occasions 4-12 h apart. Associations between collected variables and PPA were derived using a multivariable logistic regression model and expressed in adjusted odds ratios.

RESULTS

A total of 1663 patients underwent fracture surgeries from 2015 to 2018, and 25% of them reported PPA. Female sex, previous use of narcotics, increased ASA, increased baseline pain score, and younger age without comorbidities were identified as significant risk factors for PPA. Spine procedures were associated with increased risk of PPA, while procedures in the hip, shoulder, and knee had reduced risk. Patients experiencing PPA were less likely to receive NSAIDs compared to other pain medications.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found an unacceptably high rate of PPA after fracture surgery. While the identified risk factors for PPA were all non-modifiable, our results highlight the necessity to improve application of current multimodal approaches to pain alleviation including a more personalized approach to pain alleviation.

Postoperative Pain Following Coblation of Sinonasal Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasias

BACKGROUND

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare, autosomal dominant disease and epistaxis is the most common symptom. This can be treated conservatively but severe cases may require operative interventions. Endoscopic endonasal coblation of HHT lesions has been used successfully but postoperative pain management has not been well described.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to assess levels of postoperative pain and opioid use among patients with HHT who underwent coblation of sinonasal lesions.

METHODS

This is a longitudinal, prospective cohort study of adult patients undergoing endoscopic endonasal coblation for treatment of HHT lesions with or without bevacizumab injection between November 2019 and March 2020 at a single academic university hospital. Patients were given preoperative questionnaires and contacted via telephone 48 hours after surgery. If they reported using opioids for pain control, they were called every 2 days until they no longer used these medications.

RESULTS

Fourteen cases, including 13 unique patients, were included in this study. Opioids were ordered on discharge in 4 cases and the average morphine milligram equivalent prescribed on discharge was 41. The median pain score on postoperative day (POD) 2 was 4 of 10. Twelve patients reported using acetaminophen and 4 were using opioid pain medications. Of those using opioid pain medications, only 1 patient was using opioid pain medication by POD 4 and denied any use after POD 10.

CONCLUSION

This study is the first to analyze postoperative pain management and opioid prescribing patterns in HHT patients undergoing endonasal coblation of telangiectasias. Postoperative pain was mild to moderate and most patients stopped using opioid medications by POD 4, although the majority of patients solely used acetaminophen. Future studies with increased sample size will be useful to further identify predictors of need for analgesics postoperatively and other non-opioid adjuncts for pain control.

The association of hemodynamic parameters and clinical demographic variables with acute postoperative pain in female oncological breast surgery patients: A retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Appropriate administration of intraoperative analgesia is an essential factor in care and reasonable recovery times. Inappropriate intraoperative analgesia puts the patient at risk of acute postoperative pain (APOP). The absence of an objective standard for intraoperative nociceptive monitoring complicates pain care. Heart rate (HR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) have been suggested as useful parameters during general anesthesia for nociceptive monitoring. However, studies focusing on whether intraoperative heart rate variability (HRv) and mean arterial blood pressure variability (MABPv) during general anesthesia can accurately monitor nociception in patients have remained inconclusive. The current study aimed to (1) identify the association of intraoperative heart rate and blood pressure variability in patients undergoing low-risk surgery with the incidence of APOP in the immediate postoperative setting and (2) evaluate the associations of clinical demographic factors with the incidence of APOP.

METHODS

A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted. The outcome was moderate-to-severe APOP, defined as a numeric rating scale score of ≥ 4. HRv, MABPv, and potential confounders, such as age, body mass index, duration of surgery, smoking, depression, preoperative use of analgesics, and type of surgery, were used as independent variables.

RESULTS

Data from 764 female oncological breast surgery patients were analyzed. No statistically significant association of HRv and MABPv with APOP was found. Lower age was associated with higher odds of APOP (odds ratio [OR] 0.978, p = 0.001). Increased length of surgery (OR 1.013, p = 0.022) and a history of depression were associated with increased odds of APOP (OR 2.327, p = 0.010). The subtype of surgery was statistically significantly associated with APOP (p = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that heart rate and blood pressure variability intraoperatively, in female patients undergoing low-risk surgery, are not associated with, and thus not predictive of, APOP in the immediate postoperative setting.

Assessing the Efficacy of the S-PECS Block in Breast Augmentation Surgery: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Postoperative acute and chronic pain following breast surgery is a common complication that needs resolving to allow for improved patient outcomes. Previously, thoracic epidurals and paravertebral blocks have been the accepted standard administered intraoperatively. However, more recently the introduction of the pectoral nerve block (PECS and PECS-2 blocks) has appeared promising to control the pain more effectively, but further robust analysis is required to prove its efficacy. The authors aim to study the efficacy of a new block, S-PECS, that combines a serratus anterior and a PECS-2 block.

METHODS

In this study, the authors performed a single-center, randomized, controlled, double-blind group trial in 30 female patients undergoing breast augmentation surgery with silicone breast implants and the S-PECS block. Divided into two groups of 15, the PECS group received local anesthetics and the no-PECS control group received a saline injection. All participants were followed up at recovery and at 4, 6, and 12 hours postoperatively.

RESULTS

The authors' results showed that the pain score in the PECS group was significantly less than in the no-PECS group across all time points: recovery, and at 4, 6, and 12 hours. Furthermore, the patients who received the S-PEC block were 74% less likely to request pain medications compared with the no-PECS group ( P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Overall, the modified S-PECS block is an effective, efficient, and safe method of controlling pain in patients undergoing breast augmentation surgery, with additional applications yet to be explored.

Preoperative Factors Associated With Worse PROMIS Pain Interference 2 Years After Hand and Wrist Surgery

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to identify preoperative factors associated with worse postoperative Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) pain interference (PI) scores 2 years after hand and wrist surgery. We hypothesized that older age, more comorbidities, increased substance use, and lower socioeconomic status would correlate with worse 2-year PROMIS PI scores.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective review of prospectively acquired data on 253 patients. Surveys were administered within 1 week of surgery and 2 years postoperatively. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted to identify significant predictors of worse 2-year PROMIS PI scores and change in PROMIS PI scores.

RESULTS

Older age, higher body mass index, more comorbidities, lower preoperative expectations, more prior surgeries, unemployment, smoking, higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, and multiple other socio-demographic factors were correlated with worse 2-year PROMIS PI scores (P ≤ .018). Similar factors were also correlated with less improvement in 2-year PROMIS PI scores (P ≤ .048). Worse scores on all preoperative patient-reported outcome measures correlated with worse 2-year PROMIS PI scores (P ≤ .007). Multivariable analysis identified smoking history, less frequent alcohol consumption, worse preoperative PROMIS social satisfaction and Numeric Pain Scale whole body scores, and higher ASA scores as independent predictors of worse 2-year PROMIS PI. The same factors in addition to better baseline PROMIS PI were predictive of less improvement in 2-year PROMIS PI.

CONCLUSION

Numerous preoperative factors were predictive of worse postoperative 2-year PROMIS PI and less improvement in 2-year PROMIS PI for patients undergoing hand and wrist surgery.

The Impact of Preoperative Pain on Outcomes After Vaginal Reconstructive Surgery and Perioperative Pelvic Floor Muscle Training

IMPORTANCE

The impact of preoperative pain on outcomes can guide counseling.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to compare outcomes after vaginal reconstructive surgery and pelvic muscle training between women with and without preoperative pain.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a secondary analysis of the Operations and Pelvic Muscle Training in the Management of Apical Support Loss (OPTIMAL) trial, which randomized patients to a surgical intervention (sacrospinous ligament fixation versus uterosacral vaginal vault suspension) and a perioperative behavioral intervention (pelvic floor muscle training vs usual care). Preoperative pain was defined as a response of "5" or greater on the pain scale or answering "moderately" or "quite a bit" on the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory question "Do you usually experience pain in the lower abdomen or genital area?"

RESULTS

The OPTIMAL trial included 109 women with preoperative pain and 259 without pain. Although women with pain had worse pain scores and pelvic floor symptoms at baseline and postoperatively, they had greater improvement on pain scores (-2.3 ± 2.4 vs -0.2 ± 1.4, P < 0.001), as well as Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire scores. Among women with pain who underwent a sacrospinous ligament fixation, those who received pelvic floor muscle training had a greater reduction in pain compared with those in the usual care group (-3.0 ± 2.3 vs -1.3 ± 2.1, P = 0.008). Persistent or worsening pain was present at 24 months in 5 (16%) women with preoperative pain.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with preoperative pain experience significant improvements in pain and pelvic floor symptoms with vaginal reconstructive surgery. Pelvic floor muscle training perioperatively may be beneficial for select patients.

Impact of preoperative insomnia on poor postoperative pain control after elective spine surgery and the modified Calgary postoperative pain after spine surgery (MCAPPS) score

Background

Approximately 30% to 64% of patients experience inadequate pain control following spine surgery. The Calgary postoperative pain after spine surgery (CAPPS) score was developed to identify this subset of patients. The impact of preoperative insomnia on postoperative pain control is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between preoperative insomnia and poor pain control after spine surgery, as well as improve the predictive accuracy of the CAPPS score.

Methods

A prospective cohort study was conducted in patients undergoing elective spine surgery. Poor pain control was defined as a mean numeric rating scale pain score >4 at rest within the first 24-hours after surgery. Patients were evaluated using the CAPPS score, which included 7 prognostic factors. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to examine the association between preoperative insomnia severity index (ISI) and poor pain control, adjusting for the CAPPS score. The Modified CAPPS score was derived from this model.

Results

Of 219 patients, 49.7% experienced poorly controlled pain. Prevalence of clinical insomnia (ISI≥15) was 26.9%. Preoperative ISI was independently associated with poor pain control (odds ratio [OR] 1.09, [95%CI=1.03-1.16], p=.004), after adjusting for the CAPPS score (OR 1.61, [95%CI=1.38-1.89], p<.001). The model exhibited good discrimination (c-statistics 0.80, [95%CI=0.74-0.86]) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-square=8.95, p=.35). The Modified CAPPS score also demonstrated good discrimination (c-statistic 0.78, [95%CI=0.72-0.84]) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-square=2.92, p=.57). Low-, high-, and extreme-risk groups stratified by the Modified CAPPS score had 17.3%, 49.1%, and 80.7% predicted probability of experiencing inadequate pain control compared to 32.0%, 64.0%, and 85.1% in the CAPPS score.

Conclusions

Preoperative insomnia is prevalent and is a modifiable risk factor for poor pain control following spine surgery. Early identification and management of preoperative insomnia may lead to improved postoperative pain outcomes. Future external validation is needed to confirm the accuracy of the Modified CAPPS score.

A random forest algorithm-based prediction model for moderate to severe acute postoperative pain after orthopedic surgery under general anesthesia

BACKGROUND

Postoperative pain is one of the most common complications after surgery. In order to detect early and intervene in time for moderate to severe postoperative pain, it is necessary to identify risk factors and construct clinical prediction models. This study aimed to identify significant risk factors and establish a better-performing model to predict moderate to severe acute postoperative pain after orthopedic surgery under general anesthesia.

METHODS

Patients who underwent orthopedic surgery under general anesthesia were divided into patients with moderate to severe pain group (group P) and patients without moderate to severe pain group (group N) based on VAS scores. The features selected by Lasso regression were processed by the random forest and multivariate logistic regression models to predict pain outcomes. The classification performance of the two models was evaluated through the testing set. The area under the curves (AUC), the accuracy of the classifiers, and the classification error rate for both classifiers were calculated, the better-performing model was used to predict moderate to severe acute postoperative pain after orthopedic surgery under general anesthesia.

RESULTS

A total of 327 patients were enrolled in this study (228 in the training set and 99 in the testing set). The incidence of moderate to severe postoperative pain was 41.3%. The random forest model revealed a classification error rate of 25.2% and an AUC of 0.810 in the testing set. The multivariate logistic regression model revealed a classification error rate of 31.3% and an AUC of 0.764 in the testing set. The random forest model was chosen for predicting clinical outcomes in this study. The risk factors with the greatest and second contribution were immobilization and duration of surgery, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The random forest model can be used to predict moderate to severe acute postoperative pain after orthopedic surgery under general anesthesia, which is of potential clinical application value.