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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., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Since it was first described by Rafi in 2001, the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block can be best described as a peripheral nerve block to the anterior abdominal wall (T6 to L1). The TAP block is specifically a local anesthetic injection into the fascial plane superficial to the transversus abdominis muscle and deep to the internal oblique muscle. The TAP block has been a subject of controversy with regard to utility, to indications, and more fundamentally, how best to place the block and its precise mechanism of action. The evolution of thinking with regard to this block, or more correctly family of interrelated blocks, includes knowledge of underlying anatomy, as well as an appreciation of its varied approaches. The TAP block affords excellent analgesia for abdominal procedures. In summary, the TAP block affords effective analgesia with opioid sparing effects, technical simplicity, and long duration of action. Some disadvantages include the need for bilateral block for midline incisions and absence of effectiveness for visceral pain., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The treatment of cancer pain is paramount to both medical practitioner and patient in order to maximize quality of life. Cancer pain results from direct tumor effects as well as from surgical and medical treatments. Despite therapeutic advancements, morbidity and mortality in cancer care remains high, often from local recurrence or metastasis. Increasing evidence suggests analgesics affect the cellular milieu of malignant and nonmalignant cells and may influence cancer outcomes by directly stimulating tumor growth and inhibiting immune surveillance. Opioids have been shown to cause immunosuppression and stimulate malignant cells in vitro, though adjunct analgesics may additionally promote tumor cell growth. These results have led many to hypothesize that regional analgesic techniques may offer survival advantages to systemic analgesics. Thus far, the data do not support specific analgesic recommendations for the cancer patient, though ongoing prospective, randomized clinical trials are under way to better characterize the safest analgesic regimens for cancer patients., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Despite an appreciation for many unwanted physiological effects from inadequate pain postoperative relief, moderate to severe postoperative pain remains commonplace. Though treatment options have evolved in recent years, including improvement in medications, multimodal regimens, and regional anesthetic techniques, including ultrasound and continuous catheters, outcomes data indicate that many of these strategies are associated with varying degrees of morbidity and mortality. This review focuses on the importance of effective postoperative analgesia and both short- and long-term effects associated with inadequate management. A careful literature review of emphasizing treatment options and potential pathogenesis associated with these strategies is emphasized in this review., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)