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Surgeons nationwide are developing opioid-sparing methods to help surgical patients avoid narcotic misuse and abuse. Several research presentations made during the recent American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons that could create paths for the future.
Surgeons might refer patients to pain management professionals and psychologists to help them cope with their anxiety and concern about pain. Discussions should center on the unpleasant side effects related to opioid use.
Opioid use declined by 75% with a standardized opioid-sparing protocol employed in total joint arthroplasty patients, according to the authors of a new study.
There are three parts to the consensus on opioids and surgery, including one on perioperative management, a second on operative management of patients who have been taking opioids, and a third on management of opioids for patients who are opioid-naïve.
The authors of a study examining a comprehensive opioid-sparing multimodal analgesia approach found that patients in both IV and oral acetaminophen groups scored low on pain scales, limited opioid usage, and reported minimal opioid side effects.
Using criteria from the American College of Radiology, investigators found that 43.6% of spine fusion patients were diagnosed with osteopenia and 14.9% had osteoporosis. This suggests that the osteoporosis incidence is higher than previously known.
Under federal rules, the cost of making a mistake that imperils employees’ safety has increased. Starting in January, healthcare organizations and other employers now pay more in fines when investigators find they are not protecting their employees’ safety.
The Joint Commission’s new and revised pain assessment and management standards went into effect in 2019, covering all Joint Commission-accredited ambulatory care, including surgery centers and office-based surgery organizations. An agency representative provides more details.
An ASC’s laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients were prone to pain and nausea after surgery. There had to be a solution that would achieve both effective pain management and less nausea. A quality improvement team gathered to find that solution.
Financial Disclosure: Consulting Editor Mark Mayo, CASC, MS, reports he is a consultant for ASD Management. Nurse Planner Kay Ball, PhD, RN, CNOR, FAAN, reports she is a consultant for Ethicon USA and Mobile Instrument Service and Repair. Editor Jonathan Springston, Editor Jill Drachenberg, Author Melinda Young, Physician Editor Steven A. Gunderson, DO, FACA, DABA, CASC, Author Stephen W. Earnhart, RN, CRNA, MA, Accreditations Manager Amy M. Johnson, MSN, RN, CPN, and Editorial Group Manager Leslie Coplin report no consultant, stockholder, speaker’s bureau, research, or other financial relationships with companies having ties to this field of study.
