Concomitant use of pre-emptive analgesia with local and general anesthesia in rat uterine pain surgical model.

Preemptive analgesia is used for postoperative pain management, providing pain relief with few adverse effects. In this study, the effect of a preemptive regime on rat behavior and c-fos expression in the spinal cord of the uterine surgical pain model was evaluated. It was a lab-based experimental study in which 60 female Sprague-Dawley rats; eight to 10 weeks old, weighing 150-300 gm were used. The rats were divided into two main groups: (i) superficial pain group (SG) (with skin incision only), (ii) deep pain group (with skin and uterine incisions). Each group was further divided into three subgroups based on the type of preemptive analgesia administered i.e., "tramadol, buprenorphine, and saline subgroups." Pain behavior was evaluated using the "Rat Grimace Scale" (RGS) at 2, 4, 6, 9 and 24 h post-surgery. Additionally, c-fos immunohistochemistry was performed on sections from spinal dorsal horn (T12-L2), and its expression was evaluated using optical density and mean cell count 2 hours postoperatively. Significant reduction in the RGS was noted in both the superficial and deep pain groups within the tramadol and buprenorphine subgroups when compared to the saline subgroup (p ≤ .05). There was a significant decrease in c-fos expression both in terms of number of c-fos positive cells and the optical density across the superficial laminae and lamina X of the spinal dorsal horn in both SD and DG (p ≤ .05). In contrast, the saline group exhibited c-fos expression primarily in laminae I-II and III-IV for both superficial and deep pain groups and lamina X in the deep pain group only (p ≤ .05). Hence, a preemptive regimen results in significant suppression of both superficial and deep components of pain transmission. These findings provide compelling evidence of the analgesic efficacy of preemptive treatment in alleviating pain response associated with uterine surgery.

Modelled cost-effectiveness analysis of the Support and Treatment After Replacement (STAR) care pathway for chronic pain after total knee replacement compared with usual care.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to estimate the long-term cost-effectiveness of the Support and Treatment After Replacement (STAR) care pathway for chronic pain after total knee replacement compared with usual postoperative care. METHODS: Study design: A decision-analytic (cohort Markov) model was used for the simulation with time dependent annual transition probabilities and a time horizon of five years. SETTING: Patients treated by National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in England and Wales. STUDY POPULATION: Adults classified as having chronic pain three months after undergoing a total knee replacement. INTERVENTION: The STAR care pathway following a total knee replacement. COMPARATOR: Usual postoperative care following a total knee replacement. PERSPECTIVE: The study was undertaken from the perspective of the NHS. OUTCOME MEASURES: Quality-adjusted life years and healthcare costs. Discounting: A rate of 3.5% for both costs and health utility. RESULTS: Model results indicate that the STAR intervention would dominate current practice by providing a gain in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) of 0.086 and a reduction of £375 (per person) in costs over the first five years. The incremental net monetary benefit of the STAR intervention was estimated at £2,086 (at a threshold of £20,000 per QALY). Probabilistic sensitivity analysis suggests the STAR intervention is likely to be cost-effective with a probability of 0.62. The results remain robust to changes in model assumptions on comparator utility and the timing of the start of the intervention. If hospital admission costs are assumed not to be reduced by the STAR intervention, it would no longer be cost saving, but it would likely be cost-effective based on probabilistic sensitivity analysis (0.59). CONCLUSION: Evidence from the economic model suggests that the STAR care pathway is likely to be cost-effective and potentially dominant from an NHS perspective. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The STAR trial is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN92545361.

Genome-wide association studies with experimental validation identify a protective role for B lymphocytes against chronic post-surgical pain.

BACKGROUND: Chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) significantly impacts patients' recovery and quality of life. Although environmental risk factors are well-established, genetic risk remains less understood. METHODS: A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies followed by partitioned heritability was performed on 1350 individuals across five surgery types: hysterectomy, mastectomy, abdominal, hernia, and knee. In subsequent animal studies, withdrawal thresholds to evoked mechanical stimulation were measured in Rag1 null mutant and wild-type mice after plantar incision and laparotomy. Cell sorting by flow cytometry tracked recruitment of immune cell types. RESULTS: We discovered 77 genome-wide significant single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) hits, distributed among 24 loci and 244 genes. Meta-analysis of all cohorts estimated a SNP-based narrow-sense heritability for CPSP at ∼39%, indicating a substantial genetic contribution. Partitioned heritability analysis across a wide variety of tissues revealed enrichment of heritability in immune system-related genes, particularly those associated with B and T cells. Rag1 null mutant mice lacking both T and B cells exhibited exacerbated and prolonged allodynia up to 42 days after surgery, which was rescued by B-cell transfer. Recruitment patterns of B cells but not T cells differed significantly during the first 7 days after injury in the footpad, lymph nodes, and dorsal root ganglia. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest a key protective role for the adaptive immune system in the development of chronic post-surgical pain.

Chronic post-surgical pain following gastrointestinal surgery: Protocol for a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) significantly impacts people's lives, affecting both socioeconomic aspects as well as their rehabilitation after surgery. Yet, CPSP remains an under-researched field. The prevalence varies depending on type of surgery, which highlights the importance of surgery-specific research. This scoping review aims to investigate CPSP following gastrointestinal surgery in order to map out incidences, risk factors, and impact on quality of life (QoL) as well as identify gaps in research. METHODS: The planned review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) for Scoping Review guidelines. A search strategy will be carried out in major peer-reviewed databases and grey literature will be sought and identified. We will include original studies assessing CPSP after gastrointestinal surgery, with the exception of hernia surgery. We will chart data regarding trial characteristics, patient demographic, surgical diagnosis, risk factors, follow-up times, pain definitions and evaluations as well as impact on QoL. RESULTS: We will present the included studies with a narrative summary, supplemented with descriptive statistics of the quantitative data if appropriate. CONCLUSION: The planned scoping review will map out the current evidence about CPSP in adults following gastrointestinal surgery. We will identify gaps in research that can support the development of further research into CPSP after gastrointestinal surgery.

Prognostic clinical prediction models for acute post-surgical pain in adults: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Acute post-surgical pain is managed inadequately in many patients undergoing surgery. Several prognostic risk prediction models have been developed to identify patients at high risk of developing moderate to severe acute post-surgical pain. The aim of this systematic review was to describe and evaluate the methodological conduct of these prediction models. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL for studies of prognostic risk prediction models for acute post-surgical pain using predetermined criteria. Prediction model performance was evaluated according to discrimination and calibration. Adherence to TRIPOD guidelines was assessed. Risk of bias and applicability was independently assessed by two reviewers using the prediction model risk of bias assessment tool. RESULTS: We included 14 studies reporting on 17 prediction models. The most common predictors identified in final prediction models included age; surgery type; sex or gender; anxiety or fear of surgery; pre-operative pain intensity; pre-operative analgesic use; pain catastrophising; and expected surgical incision size. Discrimination, measured by the area under receiver operating characteristic curves or c-statistic, ranged from 0.61 to 0.83. Calibration was only reported for seven models. The median (IQR [range]) overall adherence rate to TRIPOD items was 62 (53-66 [47-72])%. All prediction models were at high risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: Effective prediction models could support the prevention and treatment of acute post-surgical pain; however, existing models are at high risk of bias which may affect their reliability to inform practice. Consideration should be given to the goals, timing of intended use and desired outcomes of a prediction model before development.

Improving Pain Self-Efficacy in Orthopedic Surgery Patients Through Video-Based Education: A Quality Improvement Project.

BACKGROUND: Effective pain management following discharge is critical for postoperative recovery, with pain self-efficacy serving as a crucial component in this process. Patient education plays a key role in enhancing self-efficacy. Among various educational modalities, a growing body of evidence supports the efficacy of video-based methods. LOCAL PROBLEM: A lack of evidence-based pain education programs for patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery was identified at an urban academic hospital on the East Coast of the United States. This quality improvement project aimed to develop and assess a video-based pain education program, focusing on pain self-efficacy and self-reported preparedness among adult patients prescribed opioids for postsurgical pain. METHODS: This project adopted a pretest-posttest design, utilizing the knowledge-to-action framework. Data collection spanned 3 months. Among the 69 patients screened for eligibility, 13 participants were included in the analysis. The primary intervention consisted of a 15-minute educational video covering essential pain management aspects. Following the intervention, pain self-efficacy and self-reported preparedness were evaluated using the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire and a five-point Likert scale, respectively. RESULTS: Median (IQR) scores on the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire increased significantly from 20 (16) to 32 (14) (p < .01). Mean (SD) scores for patients' self-reported preparedness also increased from 21.92 (6.53) to 31.85 (2.41) (p < .01). All participants reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the educational intervention. CONCLUSION: Video-based education is a time-efficient and cost-effective approach. Healthcare providers can consider integrating video education to enhance pain self-efficacy in the postoperative phase, thus enhancing postsurgical pain outcomes and overall recovery experience.

A transitional pain management program is associated with reduced opioid dependence after major shoulder surgery.

BACKGROUND: Overprescription of opioids in the United States increases risks of opioid dependence, overdose, and death. Increased perioperative and postoperative opioid use during orthopedic shoulder surgery is a significant risk factor for long-term opioid dependence. The authors hypothesized that a multidisciplinary perioperative pain management program (Transitional Pain Service [TPS]) for major shoulder surgery would lead to a reduced amount of opioids required postoperatively. METHODS: A TPS was implemented at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center focused on nonopioid pain management and cessation support. Opioid consumption during the implementation of the TPS was compared to a historical cohort. All patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) or rotator cuff repair (RCR) were included. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients continuing opioid use at 90 days postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included postoperative pain scores, time to opioid cessation, and median opioid tablets consumed at 90 days. A multivariable model was developed to predict total opioid use at 90 days postoperatively. Kaplan-Meier curves were calculated for time to opioid cessation. RESULTS: The TPS group demonstrated decreased persistent opioid use at 90 days postdischarge (12.6% vs. 28.6%; P = .018). Independent predictors associated with increased total opioid tablet prescriptions at 90 days included length of stay (ß = 19.17), anxiety diagnosis (ß = 37.627), and number of tablets prescribed at discharge (ß = 1.353). TSA was associated with decreased 90-day opioid utilization (ß = -32.535) when compared to RCR. Median time to cessation was shorter in TSA (6 days) when compared with RCR (8 days). Pain scores were reduced compared with population mean by postdischarge day 2 for TSA and by postdischarge day 7 for RCR. Median number of postdischarge opioid tablets (oxycodone 5 mg) consumed under TPS management was 25 in both RCR and TSA surgery groups (180 morphine milligram equivalents). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that a TPS reduces the amount of opioid use of patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty or cuff repair at 90 days when compared with a historical control. Multivariable regression indicated that fewer opioid tablets at discharge was a modifiable factor that may aid in reducing opioid consumption and that anxiety diagnosis, increased length of stay, and cuff repair surgery were other factors independently associated with increased opioid consumption. These data will assist surgeons in counseling patients, setting narcotic use expectations, and minimizing overprescribing. Use of a similar multidisciplinary perioperative pain management program may greatly reduce opioid overprescriptions nationally.

Photos Sculpt the Stories of Youth: Using Photovoice to Holistically Capture the Lived Experiences and Pain of Youth Who Underwent Spinal Fusion Surgery.

Spinal fusion surgery is one of the most common major surgical procedures in youth. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is the most frequent reason for corrective spinal fusion. AIS (∼25%-47% of cases) and spinal fusion surgeries are associated with pain, including the development of new onset chronic pain for up to 15% of youth. This research used photovoice approaches to explore the journeys of youth from before, during, and after spinal fusion surgery, to demonstrate their experiences both of and beyond pain. Twenty participants were recruited from a previous study conducted by the senior author's lab. Participants captured photos/videos in their daily life (Phase 1); collected previously taken photos/videos from before/during/after their surgery (Phase 2); and participated in individual interviews to reflexively discuss the meaning behind photos/videos (Phase 3). Before interviews, a questionnaire was administered to assess pain characteristics. Nineteen girls/women with scoliosis and one boy/man with kyphosis (12-19 years old, Mage = 16 years) participated; they identified as white (80%), other (15%), and Southeast Asian (5%). The researchers used a reflexive thematic analysis approach, which generated five themes: (1) body aesthetic versus machine; (2) expectations and anticipation of surgery/outcomes; (3) desire of normalcy and freedom; (4) navigating a hoped-for positive surgery experience; and (5) the journey sculpts identity formation and sense of self. Findings support youth advocacy, underscoring the need to validate youth concerns and inform healthcare professionals of the importance of individualized care. Youth perspectives highlighted opportunities for optimizing surgery/healthcare experiences and the psychosocial impacts of scoliosis on body image and appearance.

Novel Scorpion Toxin ω-Buthitoxin-Hf1a Selectively Inhibits Calcium Influx via CaV3.3 and CaV3.2 and Alleviates Allodynia in a Mouse Model of Acute Postsurgical Pain.

Venom peptides have evolved to target a wide range of membrane proteins through diverse mechanisms of action and structures, providing promising therapeutic leads for diseases, including pain, epilepsy, and cancer, as well as unique probes of ion channel structure-function. In this work, a high-throughput FLIPR window current screening assay on T-type CaV3.2 guided the isolation of a novel peptide named ω-Buthitoxin-Hf1a from scorpion Hottentotta franzwerneri crude venom. At only 10 amino acid residues with one disulfide bond, it is not only the smallest venom peptide known to target T-type CaVs but also the smallest structured scorpion venom peptide yet discovered. Synthetic Hf1a peptides were prepared with C-terminal amidation (Hf1a-NH2) or a free C-terminus (Hf1a-OH). Electrophysiological characterization revealed Hf1a-NH2 to be a concentration-dependent partial inhibitor of CaV3.2 (IC50 = 1.18 µM) and CaV3.3 (IC50 = 0.49 µM) depolarized currents but was ineffective at CaV3.1. Hf1a-OH did not show activity against any of the three T-type subtypes. Additionally, neither form showed activity against N-type CaV2.2 or L-type calcium channels. The three-dimensional structure of Hf1a-NH2 was determined using NMR spectroscopy and used in docking studies to predict its binding site at CaV3.2 and CaV3.3. As both CaV3.2 and CaV3.3 have been implicated in peripheral pain signaling, the analgesic potential of Hf1a-NH2 was explored in vivo in a mouse model of incision-induced acute post-surgical pain. Consistent with this role, Hf1a-NH2 produced antiallodynia in both mechanical and thermal pain.

Phenotype- and species-specific skin proteomic signatures for incision-induced pain in humans and mice.

BACKGROUND: Acute pain after surgery is common and often leads to chronic post-surgical pain, but neither treatment nor prevention is currently sufficient. We hypothesised that specific protein networks (protein-protein interactions) are relevant for pain after surgery in humans and mice. METHODS: Standardised surgical incisions were performed in male human volunteers and male mice. Quantitative and qualitative sensory phenotyping were combined with unbiased quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics and protein network theory. The primary outcomes were skin protein signature changes in humans and phenotype-specific protein-protein interaction analysis 24 h after incision. Secondary outcomes were interspecies comparison of protein regulation as well as protein-protein interactions after incision and validation of selected proteins in human skin by immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Skin biopsies in 21 human volunteers revealed 119/1569 regulated proteins 24 h after incision. Protein-protein interaction analysis delineated remarkable differences between subjects with small (low responders, n=12) and large incision-related hyperalgesic areas (high responders, n=7), a phenotype most predictive of developing chronic post-surgical pain. Whereas low responders predominantly showed an anti-inflammatory protein signature, high responders exhibited signatures associated with a distinct proteolytic environment and persistent inflammation. Compared to humans, skin biopsies in mice habored even more regulated proteins (435/1871) 24 h after incision with limited overlap between species as assessed by proteome dynamics and PPI. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the expression of high priority candidates in human skin biopsies. CONCLUSIONS: Proteome profiling of human skin after incision revealed protein-protein interactions correlated with pain and hyperalgesia, which may be of potential significance for preventing chronic post-surgical pain. Importantly, protein-protein interactions were differentially modulated in mice compared to humans opening new avenues for successful translational research.

Benefits versus harm of intraoperative glucocorticoid for postoperative nausea and vomiting prophylaxis.

Intraoperative use of glucocorticoids is effective for postoperative nausea and vomiting prophylaxis and can also provide early postoperative analgesic effects, but the consequences for chronic post-surgical pain are debatable. In a secondary analysis of the large pragmatic Perioperative Administration of Dexamethasone and Infection trial (n=8478), the primary outcome of pain at the surgical wound at 6 months after surgery was increased in subjects receiving dexamethasone 8 mg i.v. for postoperative nausea and vomiting prophylaxis, a dose not associated with the detrimental effect of surgical site infection in the original study. In contrast, a more detailed assessment of chronic post-surgical pain after exclusion of patients with preoperative pain at the surgical site showed no differences with or without intraoperative dexamethasone regarding chronic post-surgical pain characteristics (intensity and neuropathic features). Because of several confounding factors especially regarding surgical details, these unexpected findings call for more well-designed studies about the potential risk of intraoperative treatments, such as glucocorticoids, on late post-surgical pain.

Presurgical sleep and pain behaviors predict insomnia symptoms and pain after total knee arthroplasty: a 12-month longitudinal, observational study.

OBJECTIVE: Up to 40% of individuals who undergo total knee arthroplasty (TKA) experience some degree of pain following surgery. Presurgical insomnia has been identified as a predictor of postsurgical pain; however, modifiable presurgical behaviors related to insomnia have received minimal attention. The objective of the present study was to develop a 2-item sleep and pain behavior scale (SP2) to investigate a maladaptive sleep and pain behavior and is a secondary analysis of a larger, parent study. METHODS: Patients (N = 109) completed SP2 at baseline and 12 months and questionnaires assessing sleep and pain at baseline (pre-TKA), 6 weeks, 3, 6, and 12 months post-TKA. SP2 demonstrated adequate preliminary psychometric properties. RESULTS: As hypothesized, even after controlling for baseline insomnia, pain, anxiety and other covariates, baseline SP2 predicted insomnia symptom severity at 6 weeks (ß = 2.828), 3 (ß = 2.140), 6 (ß = 2.962), and 12 months (ß = 1.835) and pain at 6 weeks (ß = 6.722), 3 (ß = 5.536), and 6 months (ß = 7.677) post-TKA (P < .05). Insomnia symptoms at 6-weeks post-TKA mediated the effect of presurgical SP2 on pain at 3 (95% CI: 0.024-7.054), 6 (95%CI: 0.495-5.243), and 12 months (95% CI: 0.077-2.684). CONCLUSIONS: This provides preliminary evidence that patients who cope with pain by retiring to their bed and bedroom have higher rates of post-surgical insomnia and pain and supports efforts to target this maladaptive sleep and pain behavior to reduce postsurgical pain.

Unresolved early post-operative pain trajectory predicts moderate-to-severe persistent pain after breast cancer surgery-An observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Modelling acute post-operative pain trajectories may improve the prediction of persistent pain after breast cancer surgery (PPBCS). This study aimed to investigate the predictive accuracy of early post-operative pain (EPOP) trajectories in the development of PPBCS. MATERIALS & METHODS: This observational study was conducted in a French Comprehensive Cancer Centre and included patients who underwent breast cancer surgery from December 2017 to November 2018. Perioperative and follow-up data were obtained from medical records, and anaesthesia and perioperative charts. EPOP was defined as pain intensity during the first 24 h after surgery, and modelled by a pain trajectory. K-means clustering method was used to identify patient subgroups with similar EPOP trajectories. The prevalence of moderate-to-severe PPBCS (numeric rating scale ≥4) was evaluated until 24 months after surgery. RESULTS: A total of 608 patients were included in the study, of which 18% (n = 108) and 9% (n = 52) reported mild and moderate-to-severe PPBCS, respectively. Based on EPOP trajectories, we were able to identify a low (64%, n = 388), resolved (30%, n = 182), and unresolved (6%, n = 38) pain group. Multivariate analysis identified younger age, axillary lymph node dissection, and unresolved EPOP trajectory as independent risk factors for moderate-to-severe PPBCS development. When compared to patients reporting mild PPBCS, moderate-to-severe PPBCS patients experienced significantly more neuropathic pain features, pain-related interference, and delayed opioid cessation. CONCLUSION: EPOP trajectories can distinguish between resolved and unresolved acute pain after breast cancer surgery, allowing early identification of patients at risk to develop significant PPBCS.

Treatment of Acute Pain in Patients on Naltrexone: A Narrative Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The tissue damage and trauma associated with surgery almost always result in acute postoperative pain. The intensity of postoperative pain can range from mild to severe. Naltrexone is suitable for patients who do not wish to be on an agonist treatment such as methadone or buprenorphine. However, naltrexone has been shown to complicate postoperative pain management. RECENT FINDINGS: Multiple studies have found that the use of naltrexone can increase the opioid requirement for postoperative pain control. Other modalities exist that can help outside of opioids such as ketamine, lidocaine/bupivacaine, duloxetine, and non-pharmacological management can help manage pain. Multimodal pain regiments should also be employed in patients. In addition to traditional methods for postoperative pain management, other methods of acute pain control exist that can help mitigate opioid dependence and help control pain in patients who use naltrexone for their substance use disorders.

The Acute Perioperative Pain Service: Impact, Organization, and Future Directions.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The Acute Perioperative Pain Service has been established as a relatively new but important concept and service in clinical patient care. Many surgical institutions have dedicated inpatient acute pain services with variable compositions. This review aims to investigate the purpose, clinical and economic implications, and future direction of the Acute Perioperative Pain Service (APPS). RECENT FINDINGS: There is growing evidence of the multiple benefits of a dedicated APPS, especially pertaining to patients at higher risk of poorly controlled postoperative pain. Healthcare providers furthermore realize the importance of the perioperative pain management continuity of care, consisting of preoperative pain evaluations and post-discharge follow-up in an outpatient pain management setting, in coordination with the primary teams. The Transitional Pain Service (TPS) has emerged as the next step in this evolution and has been successfully implemented at various medical centers. With the growing number of surgical procedures and the increasing complexity of the patient population, effective management of acute postoperative pain continues to be challenging, despite ongoing advances in clinical care, analgesic modalities, and research. The APPS is becoming the clinical standard of care for managing postoperative pain, and its role continues to expand worldwide.

What we know and what we don't know about the perioperative use of methadone in children and adolescents.

Postoperative pain control is essential to optimizing patient outcomes, improving satisfaction, and allowing patients to resume their baseline functional activities. Methadone, a synthetic mu-opioid agonist, has multiple pharmacologic properties that may be optimal for perioperative use. Compared to other opioids, methadone has a longer duration of action, rapid onset, extended dosing intervals, high oral bioavailability, low cost, lack of active metabolites, and action on multiple receptors. The current literature examining the use of methadone in the perioperative care of children and adolescents is limited and most often reported within the context of spine or cardiothoracic surgery. Overall, these studies support the hypothesis that perioperative methadone in pediatric patients may decrease postoperative pain, opioid consumption, length-of-stay, and the incidence of some opioid-related side effects, like constipation and urinary retention. A variety of protocols for the perioperative use of methadone have been described, including a single intraoperative dose as well as multiple small doses within multimodal pain protocols. The superiority of these protocols has not been established. Like all opioids, methadone has a side effect profile which includes nausea, vomiting, reduced GI motility, sedation, and respiratory depression at high doses. There is also a concern that it can cause QTc prolongation in patients. The primary aim of this educational review is to examine the pharmacologic data, published perioperative protocols, dosing considerations, and risks and benefits associated with inclusion of methadone in analgesic regimens for surgical patients. A secondary aim is to introduce opportunities for research around the perioperative use of methadone in children and adolescents. Based on our review, we would prioritize establishing optimal procedure-specific methadone protocols, determining generalizability for use in routine pediatric surgeries, and investigating methadone safety and efficacy prospectively as the primary opioid for pain management in the postanesthesia care unit or postsurgical floors.

The STAR care pathway for patients with chronic pain after total knee replacement: four-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The Support and Treatment After Replacement (STAR) care pathway is a clinically important and cost-effective intervention found to improve pain outcomes over one year for people with chronic pain three months after total knee replacement (TKR). We followed up STAR trial participants to evaluate the longer-term clinical- and cost-effectiveness of this care pathway. METHODS: Participants who remained enrolled on the trial at one year were contacted by post at a median of four years after randomisation and invited to complete a questionnaire comprising the same outcomes collected during the trial. We captured pain (co-primary outcome using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) pain severity and interference scales; scored 0-10, best to worst), function, neuropathic characteristics, emotional aspects of pain, health-related quality of life, and satisfaction. Electronic hospital informatics data on hospital resource use for the period of one to four years post-randomisation were collected from participating hospital sites. The economic evaluation took an National Health Service (NHS) secondary care perspective, with a four-year time horizon. RESULTS: Overall, 226/337 (67%) of participants returned completed follow-up questionnaires, yielding adjusted between-group differences in BPI means of -0.42 (95% confidence interval, CI (-1.07, 0.23); p = 0.20) for pain severity and - 0.64 (95% CI -1.41, 0.12); p = 0.10) for pain interference. Analysis using a multiple imputed data set (n = 337) showed an incremental net monetary benefit in favour of the STAR care pathway of £3,525 (95% CI -£990 to £8,039) at a £20,000/QALY willingness-to-pay threshold, leading to a probability that the intervention was cost-effective of 0.94. CONCLUSIONS: The magnitude of the longer-term benefits of the STAR care pathway are uncertain due to attrition of trial participants; however, there is a suggestion of some degree of sustained clinical benefit at four years. The care pathway remained cost-effective at four years. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN: 92,545,361.

Comparison of preemptive etoricoxib and dexamethasone in third molar surgery - a randomized controlled clinical trial of patient-reported and clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To compare preemptive single-dose etoricoxib and dexamethasone on postoperative patient satisfaction (pPS) and clinical parameters following the impacted mandibular third molar (IMTM) extraction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A parallel-group, triple-blinded, controlled clinical study included a total of 90 patients (n = 30), randomized to receive: etoricoxib 90 mg, dexamethasone 4 mg, or no premedication (control group) 1 h before surgery. Paracetamol 500 mg was prescribed as rescue medication (RM). Check-ups were scheduled at 24 h, 48 h, and day 7 post-surgery. At each time point, pPS was assessed using the 5-point Likert scale. RM parameters, swelling, trismus, and the occurrence of adverse events were also recorded, and patients were instructed to rate the perceived pain on Visual Analogue Scale. RESULTS: In all the follow-up periods, data indicated significantly higher pPS scores in the preemptive medication groups when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Both regimens delayed the first RM intake when compared to controls. In the etoricoxib group, a significantly lower total RM consumption was observed (p < 0.05). Dexamethasone significantly decreased swelling at each check-up and increased mouth opening at day 7 after the surgery (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Preemptive etoricoxib and dexamethasone elevate pPS after IMTM surgery. Etoricoxib improves RM parameters, while dexamethasone ameliorates the patient's postoperative functional ability. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Preemptive etoricoxib and dexamethasone use may decrease patients' discomfort following the impacted mandibular third molar extraction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05791721. Date of Registration: 28/03/2023 (retrospectively registered).

Management of chronic primary pelvic pain syndromes.

Management of chronic pelvic pain (CPP) remains a huge challenge for care providers and a major burden for healthcare systems. Treating chronic pain that has no obvious cause warrants an understanding of the difficulties in managing these conditions. Chronic pain has recently been accepted as a disease in its own right by the World Health Organization, with chronic pain without obvious cause being classified as chronic primary pain. Despite innumerable treatments that have been proposed and tried to date for CPP, unimodal therapeutic options are mostly unsuccessful, especially in unselected individuals. In contrast, individualised multimodal management of CPP seems the most promising approach and may lead to an acceptable situation for a large proportion of patients. In the present review, the interdisciplinary and interprofessional European Association of Urology Chronic Pelvic Pain Guideline Group gives a contemporary overview of the most important concepts to successfully diagnose and treat this challenging disease.

Association of postoperative complications with persistent post-surgical pain: a multicentre prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Persistent post-surgical pain is an important and under-recognised problem that is difficult to treat. Postoperative complications have been identified as possible risk factors for persistent post-surgical pain. We conducted a secondary analysis of the Measurement of Exercise Tolerance before Surgery (METS) cohort study to characterise the association of major postoperative complications with post-surgical pain at 30 days and 1 yr after major surgery. METHODS: The analysis included 1313 participants (≥40 yr old) who had inpatient noncardiac surgery and survived for 1 yr. The co-primary outcomes were 30-day post-surgical pain and 1-yr post-surgical pain. Post-surgical pain was defined as pain or discomfort that was of moderate or severe intensity (EuroQoL-5D [EQ-5D] instrument) and unimproved compared with preoperative pain or discomfort. The principal exposure was major in-hospital complications (moderate or severe by modified Clavien-Dindo criteria). Multivariable logistic regression modelling was used to characterise the adjusted association of major complications with outcomes. RESULTS: Of the cohort, 12% (n=163) experienced major complications, 51% (n=674) reported 30-day post-surgical pain, and 42% (n=545) reported 1-yr post-surgical pain. Major complications were associated with 30-day post-surgical pain (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-2.23) and possibly 1-yr post-surgical pain (aOR=1.42; 95% CI, 0.98-2.06). When analyses were repeated after multiple imputation of missing covariate and outcome data, complications were associated with both 30-day and 1-yr post-surgical pain. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who developed major complications were more likely to report pain at 30 days and possibly 1 yr after surgery. Research is necessary to validate these findings and delineate underlying mechanisms.