ABSTRACT
Opioids are an indispensable part of perioperative pain management of cancer surgeries. Opioids do have some side effects and abuse potential, and some laboratory data suggest a possible association of cancer recurrence with perioperative opioid use. Opioid-free anesthesia and opioid-sparing anesthesia are emerging new concepts worldwide to safeguard patients from adverse effects of opioids and potential abuse. Opioid-free anesthesia could lead to ineffective pain management, leaving the perioperative physician with limited options, while opioid-sparing anesthesia may be a rational approach. This consensus guideline includes general considerations of the safe use of perioperative opioids along with concomitant use of central neuraxial or regional blockade and systematic nonopioid analgesics. Region-specific onco-surgeries with their specific recommendations and consensus statements for judicious use of opioids are suggested. Use of epidural analgesia or regional catheter during thoracic, abdominal, pelvic, and lower limb surgeries and use of regional nerve blocks/catheter in head neck, neuro, and upper limb onco-surgeries, wherever possible along with nonopioids analgesics, are suggested. Short-acting opioids in small aliquots may be allowed to control breakthrough pain for expedient control of pain. The purpose of this consensus practice guideline is to provide the practicing anesthesiologists with best practice evidence and consensus recommendations by the expert committee of the Society of Onco-Anesthesia and Perioperative Care for safe opioid use in onco-surgeries.
Subject(s)
Analgesics, Opioid , Anesthesia , Analgesics, Opioid/adverse effects , Humans , Pain Management , Pain, Postoperative/diagnosis , Pain, Postoperative/drug therapy , Pain, Postoperative/prevention & control , Perioperative CareABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has gripped the world and is evolving day by day with deaths every hour. Being immunocompromised, cancer patients are more susceptible to contract the infection. Onco-surgeries on such immunocompromised patients have an increased risk of infection of COVID-19 to patients and health care workers. The society of Onco-Anesthesia and Perioperative Care (SOAPC) thereby came out with an advisory for safe perioperative management of cancer surgery during this challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
