TY  - EJOU
AU  - Chandrasekar, Thenappan 
AU  - Glick, Lydia 
AU  - Wong, Daniella 
AU  - Han, Timothy M. 
AU  - Leong, Joon Yau 
AU  - Yi, Misung 
AU  - Mark, James R. 
AU  - Mann, Mark J. 
AU  - Trabulsi, Edouard J. 
AU  - Lallas, Costas D. 

TI  - Simple frameshifts in minimally invasive surgery postoperative pain management significantly reduce opiate prescriptions
T2  - Canadian Journal of Urology

PY  - 2020
VL  - 27
IS  - 3
SN  - 1488-5581

AB  - <b>Introduction:</b> To evaluate the impact of an “opt-in” non-narcotic postoperative pain regimen on narcotic utilization and patient-reported pain scores.<br/>
<b>Materials and methods:</b> A prospective, non-blinded pre- and post-interventional trial was conducted, including a lead-in period for baseline evaluation. The intervention group received a new pain protocol prioritizing non-narcotic medications, an “opt-in” requirement for opiates, and standardized patient education. Study outcomes included opiate prescription and utilization (measured in Morphine Equivalent Doses) and reported pain scores on postoperative day (POD) 1, discharge, and follow-up.<br/>
<b>Results:</b> At discharge, 70% fewer patients were prescribed any opioids (ARR: -0.7; p < 0.001); the amount prescribed was reduced by 95% (pre-intervention 69.3 mg versus post-intervention 3.5 mg, p < 0.001). Mean opioids used following discharge decreased by 76% (14.7 mg versus 3.5 mg, p = 0.011). In a subgroup analysis of robotic prostatectomies, there was a 95% reduction in mean opioids prescribed at discharge (64.6 mg versus 3.2 mg, p < 0.001) and 82% reduction in utilization over entire postoperative course (87.6 mg versus 15.7 mg, p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in pain scores between intervention groups at POD 1, discharge, and follow-up for patients (entire cohort and post-prostatectomy).<br/>
<b>Conclusion:</b> A standardized pain protocol with “opt-in” requirements for opiate prescription, emphasis on non-narcotic medications, and patient education, resulted in significant reductions in opioid use. Simple frameshifts in pain management can yield significant gains in the opioid epidemic.
KW  - narcotics
KW  -  pain postoperative
KW  -  minimally invasive surgical procedures
KW  -  urology

DO  -