The impact of a postoperative multimodal analgesia pathway on opioid use and outcomes after cardiothoracic surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Cardiac Society recommends using multimodal analgesia (MMA) for postoperative pain however, evidence-based guidelines have yet to be established. This study examines the impact of a standardized postoperative MMA pathway in reducing opioid consumption and related complications after cardiothoracic surgery (CTS). METHODS: Within a multicenter healthcare system, a postoperative MMA pathway was developed and implemented at two CTS intensive care units (ICU) while the other CTS ICU opted to maintain the existing opioid-based pathway. A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients admitted to a CTS ICU within this healthcare system after conventional coronary artery bypass grafting and/or valve surgery from September 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019. Comparative analysis was conducted on patients prescribed MMA versus those managed with an opioid-based pathway. The primary outcome was total opioid consumption, converted to morphine milligram equivalents, 72-h post-surgery. Secondary outcomes included mobility within one-day post-surgery, ICU length of stay (LOS), time to first bowel movement (BM), and time to first zero Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS). RESULTS: Seven hundred sixty-two adults were included for final analysis. The MMA group had a higher body mass index, higher percentage of females, were more likely classified as African American and had higher scores for risk-adjusted complications. General Linear Model analysis revealed higher opioid consumption in the MMA group (Est. 0.22, p < 0.0009); however, this was not statistically significant after adjusting for differences in fentanyl usage. The MMA group was more likely to have mobility within one-day post-surgery (OR 0.44, p < 0.0001), have longer time to first BM (OR 1.93, p = 0.0011), and longer time to first zero RASS (OR 1.62, p = 0.0071). The analgesia groups were not a predictor for ICU LOS. CONCLUSIONS: Opioid consumption was not reduced secondary to this postoperative MMA pathway. The MMA group was more likely to have mobility within one-day post-surgery. Patients in the MMA group were also more likely to have prolonged time to first BM and first zero RASS. Development and evaluation of a perioperative MMA pathway should be considered.

A Screening Tool to Detect Chronic Critically Ill Cardiac Surgery Patients at Risk for Low Levels of Testosterone and Somatomedin C: A Prospective Observational Pilot Study.

Objective The neuroendocrine response to critical illness is dichotomous as it is adaptive during the acute phase then transitions to maladaptive as critical illness becomes prolonged in 25-30% of patients. Presently, monitoring all critically ill patients for endocrinopathies is not the standard of care. However, given the negative impact on patient prognosis, a need to identify those at risk for endocrinopathies, may exist. Thus, a screening tool to identify endocrinopathies along the somatotroph and gonadal axes in a cardiothoracic surgery population was developed. Methods A prospective observational pilot study was conducted in two cardiothoracic surgery intensive care units (ICU) within a multi-site healthcare system. Total testosterone and somatomedin C levels were obtained from 20 adult patients who remained in the ICU for greater than seven days after cardiothoracic surgery and were tolerating nutrition, had a risk of malnutrition and a mobility score of moderate to dependent assistance. Results Twenty patients were included for descriptive analysis (seven females). Thirteen patients tested low for total testosterone, with males more likely to have a testosterone-related endocrinopathy as compared to females (100% vs. 0 to 43%, p = 0.0072). A higher proportion of low somatomedin C levels was found in females than males (57% vs. 31%); however, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.251). Conclusions The screening tool used in this pilot study accurately predicted low total testosterone in all men and reasonably predicted low somatomedin C in a majority of women. However, the ability of the tool to predict low total testosterone in women and low somatomedin C in men is less certain. A gender-specific screening tool might be necessary to predict hormonal deficiencies.

Erector Spinae Regional Anesthesia for Robotic Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Is Not Associated With Reduced Postoperative Opioid Use: A Retrospective Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: Regional anesthesia techniques are gaining traction in cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic efficacy of erector spinae plane block catheters (ESPBC), serratus anterior plane block catheters (SAPBC), and paravertebral single-shot block (PVB) versus no block after robotic minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB). DESIGN: This was a retrospective observational study of routinely recorded data. SETTING: The study was performed at a single healthcare system. PARTICIPANTS: All patients underwent robotic MIDCAB. INTERVENTION: Data were analyzed from 346 patients during a 53-month period. The clinical data warehouse was queried for all robotic MIDCAB surgeries. Variables abstracted included type of nerve block, age, sex, use of adjuncts, Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted short length of stay (PSLOS), total opioid consumption during the 72 hours after surgery, and postoperative hospital length of stay (LOS). The primary outcome was total oral morphine milligram equivalents (MME) consumed during the first 72 hours after surgery. The secondary outcome was hospital LOS. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In a model adjusting for PSLOS, the authors did not observe an association between ESPBC and the reduction of total administered oral MME within 72 hours after surgery. There was no significant difference in MME when comparing patients who received PVB to patients with ESPBC. Older age and female sex were associated with significantly lower MME. Patients who received ESPBC had a significantly shorter hospital LOS than patients with SAPBC. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that postoperative pain after MIDCAB surgery might not be completely covered by ESPBC. Prospective studies are needed to further elucidate the value of this technique for robotic MIDCAB.