Pediatric Pain and Pain Management After Ambulatory Plastic Surgery: Trends in the Age of Opioid Awareness.

BACKGROUND: Overprescribing by physicians has been shown to be a major contributor to the opioid epidemic. Although pediatric ambulatory plastic surgery patients are commonly prescribed opioids for postoperative pain control, there is a lack of evidence for their necessity. This study aimed to investigate the role of prescribed narcotics in the ambulatory pediatric plastic surgery setting. METHODS: All assenting patients/guardians, ages 0 to 17 years, who underwent an ambulatory plastic surgery procedure by 1 attending surgeon from March 2018 to March 2019, were asked to participate in the study. A questionnaire was distributed at the first postoperative visit to interrogate postoperative pain, management, and narcotic use. RESULTS: A total of 95 patients/guardians completed the questionnaire. Seventy-eight percent (74) of patients picked up the narcotic medication, with 33% (31) taking at least 1 dose of narcotics, and only 9% (9) taking 4 or more doses. Patients overall found no difference in efficacy of the narcotics versus nonprescription analgesics (3.93/5 and 4.31/5, P = 0.11). Age was a significant predictor, with older patients requiring more narcotics (odds ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.24; P = 0.019). The type of surgery a patient underwent was not a significant predictor of the amount of narcotic used. Few patients knew how to properly dispose of the excess narcotics, with almost 50% still having it stored in their homes. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the majority of pediatric ambulatory plastic surgery patients do not require narcotic pain medications and experience adequate pain relief with over-the-counter analgesics. Importantly, education on proper disposal of narcotic medications may be a simple, yet effective target to decrease opioid availability for abuse.

Whole-Genome and Whole-Exome Sequencing in Pediatric Oncology: An Assessment of Parent and Young Adult Patient Knowledge, Attitudes, and Expectations.

PURPOSE: The complexity of results generated from whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and whole-exome sequencing (WES) adds challenges to obtaining informed consent in pediatric oncology. Little is known about knowledge of WGS and WES in this population, and no validated tools exist in pediatric oncology. METHODS: We developed and psychometrically evaluated a novel WGS and WES knowledge questionnaire, the Precision in Pediatric Sequencing Knowledge Questionnaire (PIPseqKQ), to identify levels of understanding among parents and young adult cancer survivors (≥ 18 years old), off therapy for at least 1 year from a single-institution pediatric oncology outpatient clinic. Participants also completed health literacy and numeracy questionnaires. All participants provided written informed consent. RESULTS: One hundred eleven participants were enrolled: 76 were parents, and 35 were young adults. Of the total cohort, 77 (69%) were female, 63 (57%) self-identified as white, and 74 (67%) self-identified as non-Hispanic. Sixty-six (59%) had less than a college degree. Adequate health literacy (n = 87; 80%) and numeracy (n = 89; 80%) were demonstrated. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's α = .88), and test-retest reliability was greater than the 0.7 minimum requirement. Scores were highest for genetic concepts related to health and cancer and lowest for WGS and WES concepts. Health literacy and educational attainment were significantly associated with PIPseqKQ scores. Overall, participants felt the benefits of WGS and WES outweighed the potential risks. CONCLUSION: Parents and young adult cancer survivors have some genetics knowledge, but they lack knowledge about WGS and WES. The PIPseqKQ is a reliable tool that can identify deficits in knowledge, identify perceptions of risks and benefits of WGS and WES, and help clinicians tailor their consent discussions to best fit families. The PIPseqKQ also may inform the development of educational tools to better facilitate the informed consent process in pediatric oncology.