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To evaluate all available evidence thus far on opioid based versus opioid-free anesthesia and its effect on acute and chronic postoperative pain. Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Operating room, postoperative recovery room and ward. Patients undergoing general anesthesia. After consulting MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane database, studies which compared opioid free anesthesia (OFA) with opioid based anesthesia (OBA) were included (last search April 15th 2022). Primary outcomes were acute and chronic pain scores in NRS or VAS. Secondary outcomes were quality of recovery and postoperative opioid consumption. Risk of bias was assessed using the RoB2 tool and a random effects model for the meta-analysis was conducted. We identified 1245 citations, of which 38 studies met our inclusion criteria. There is moderate quality evidence showing no clinically relevant difference of Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) scores or opioid consumption in the postoperative period (pooled mean difference of 0.39 points with a CI of 0.19–0.59 and 4.02 MME with a CI of 1.73–6.30). We found only one small-sized study reporting no effect of opioid-free anesthesia on chronic pain. The quality of recovery was superior in patients with opioid-free anesthesia (mean difference of 8.26 points), however, this pooled analysis was comprised of only two studies. Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) occurred less in opioid-free anesthesia, but bradycardia was more frequent. We concluded that we cannot recommend one strategy over the other. Future studies could focus on quality of recovery as outcome measure and adequately powered studies on the effects of opioid-free anesthesia on chronic pain are eagerly awaited. •Opioid-free and opioid based anesthesia have similar postoperative pain scores.•Postoperative events depend on drugs used as alternatives for opioids.•Bradycardia occurred more when chosen for dexmedetomidine in opioid-free anesthesia.•One strategy cannot be recommended over another.

Erector spinae plane block (ESPB) has gained popularity for perioperative analgesia in various surgeries. However, its efficacy in lumbar surgery remains unclear. This review aimed to determine whether ESPB could improve analgesic efficacy in lumbar spine surgery. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Perioperative setting. Patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery under general anesthesia. We searched the databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science etc. for published eligible controlled trials comparing ESPB with control (no block/sham block) in lumbar spine surgery. The primary outcome was opioid consumption in the first 24 h after surgery. Twelve studies comprising 665 participants were included. Compared to the control, ESPB reduced the opioid (morphine milligram equivalents) consumption significantly 24 h after surgery [mean difference (MD) = −14.55; 95% confidence interval (CI), −21.03 to −8.07; P < 0.0001] and lowered the pain scores at various time points (at rest or during movement) for 48 h after surgery. ESPB increased the patient satisfaction score (0−10) (MD = 2.38; 95% CI, 2.10 to 2.66; P < 0.0001), decreased the postoperative nausea and vomiting [risk ratio (RR) = 0.36; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.67; P = 0.001], and minimized the length of hospital stay (MD = −1.24 days; 95% CI, −2.31 to −0.18; P = 0.02). Furthermore, subgroup analysis revealed additional reduction in opioid consumption by the block approach at the vertebral level of incision/operation than that at the fixed thoracic/lumbar level. However, considerable heterogeneity and low-grade quality of evidence were observed. ESPB provided effective postoperative analgesia resulting in better patient satisfaction and recovery with decreased postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing lumbar surgery compared to the control. However, the low-grade quality of evidence compromised the findings, therefore further high-quality of evidence is required. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021233362. •Evidence for ESPB use in lumbar spine surgery is insufficient.•We performed evidence synthesis of 12 RCTs on ESPB vs. control for lumbar surgery.•ESPB improved analgesic efficacy by reducing opioid consumption 24 h after surgery.•ESPB increased patient satisfaction and decreased postoperative nausea and vomiting.•ESPB at the incision/operation level reduced opioid use more than at the fixed level.

Erector spinae plane (ESP) block is a novel regional anesthesia technique and gaining importance for postoperative pain management. Since it was first described, the clinicians wonder if this new simple technique can replace paravertebral block (PVB). We aimed to compare the postoperative analgesic effect of ESP block and PVB with a control group in breast surgeries. Randomized controlled trial. Operating room. Seventy-five ASA I–II patients aged 25–65, who were scheduled to go under elective unilateral breast surgery for breast cancer were included to the study. Patients were randomized into three groups as ESP, PVB, and Control group. Ultrasound (US) guided ESP block and PVB with 20 ml 0.25% bupivacaine was done preoperatively to the patients according to their groups. All patients were provided with iv patient-controlled analgesia device for postoperative analgesia. Morphine consumptions and numeric rating scale (NRS) scores for pain were recorded at 1st, 6th, 12th and 24th hours postoperatively. There was a statistically significant difference between ESP and Control groups (p < 0,001) and between PVB and Control groups (p < 0,001), while there was no difference between ESP and PVB groups (p > 0,05) for 24-hour morphine consumptions. There was a significant difference between PVB and Control groups for NRS at postoperative 1st and 6th hour (p = 0.018 and p = 0.027 respectively). This study has shown that US guided ESP block and PVB provided adequate analgesia in patients undergoing breast surgery and have an opioid sparing effect by reducing morphine consumption. Clinical Trials Registry: NCT03480958. •ESP block provides effective analgesia in breast surgery.•ESP block has lower risk of complications compared to TPV block.•Both ESP block and TPV block have a similar analgesic effect in breast surgery.

Paravertebral block (PVB) is the most recognized regional anesthesia technique after thoracic epidural anesthesia for postoperative analgesia in thoracic and breast surgery. Erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is a recently discovered blocking technique, and it has evidenced excellent postoperative analgesia for breast and thoracic surgery with fewer adverse reactions. However, there are controversies about the postoperative analgesic effects of the two analgesic techniques. To assess the analgesic effects of PVB versus ESPB in postoperative thoracic and breast surgery. We systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect databases up to April 5, 2021. The primary outcome was postoperative pain scores. Secondary outcomes included: opioid consumption, additional analgesia, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) 24 hours post-operation, and the time required for completing block procedure. This study was registered in PROSPERO, number CRD42021246160. After screening relevant, full-text articles, ten randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met the inclusion criteria were retrieved for this meta-analysis. Six studies involved thoracic surgery patients, and four included breast surgery patients. Thoracic surgery studies included all of the outcomes involved in this meta-analysis while breast surgery did not report pain scores at movement and additional analgesia in 24 hours post-operation. For thoracic surgery, PVB resulted in significant reduction in the following pain scores: 0-1 hours (MD = -0.79, 95% CI: -1.54 to -0.03, P = 0.04), 4-6 hours (MD = -0.31, 95% CI: -0.57 to -0.05, P = 0.02), and 24 hours (MD = -0.42, 95% CI: -0.81 to -0.02, P = 0.04) at rest; significant reduction in pain scores at 4-6 hours (MD = -0.47, 95% CI: -0.93 to -0.01, P = 0.04), 8-12 hours (MD = -1.09, 95% CI: -2.13 to -0.04, P = 0.04), and 24 hours (MD = -0.31, 95% CI: -0.57 to -0.06, P = 0.01) at movement. Moreover, the opioid consumption at 24 hours post-operation (MD = -2.74, 95% CI: -5.41 to -0.07, P = 0.04) and the incidence of additional analgesia in 24 hours of the postoperative course (RR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.29 to 0.97, P = 0.04) were significantly lower in the PVB group than in the ESPB group for thoracic surgery. However, no significant differences were found in pain scores at rest at various time points postoperatively, and opioid consumption at 24 hours post-operation for breast surgery. The time required for completing block procedure was longer in the PVB group than in the ESPB group for thoracic and breast surgery, and the incidence of PONV between the two groups showed no significant difference. The postoperative analgesic effects of PVB versus ESPB are distinguished by the surgical site. For thoracic surgery, the postoperative analgesic effect of PVB is better than that of ESPB. For breast surgery, the postoperative analgesic effects of PVB and ESPB are similar.

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), postoperative vomiting (POV), post-discharge nausea and vomiting (PDNV), and opioid-induced nausea and vomiting (OINV) continue to be causes of pediatric morbidity, delay in discharge, and unplanned hospital admission. Research on the pathophysiology, risk assessment, and therapy for PDNV, OINV and pain therapy options in children has received increased attention. Multimodal pain management with the use of perioperative regional and opioid-sparing analgesia has helped decrease nausea and vomiting. Two common emetogenic surgical procedures in children are adenotonsillectomy and strabismus repair. Although PONV risk factors differ between adults and children, the approach to decrease baseline risk is similar. As PONV and POV are frequent in children, antiemetic prophylaxis should be considered for those at risk. A multimodal approach for antiemetic and pain therapy involves preoperative risk evaluation and stratification, antiemetic prophylaxis, and pain management with opioid-sparing medications and regional anesthesia. Useful antiemetics include dexamethasone and serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists such as ondansetron. Multimodal combination prophylactic therapy using two or three antiemetics from different drug classes and propofol total intravenous anesthesia should be considered for children at high PONV risk. “Enhanced recovery after surgery” protocols include a multimodal approach with preoperative preparation, adequate intravenous fluid hydration, opioid-sparing analgesia, and prophylactic antiemetics. PONV guidelines and management algorithms help provide effective postoperative care for pediatric patients.

Postoperatively the regiment includes basal infusion free patient controlled analgesia (PCA) with tramadol, in addition to scheduled paracetamol every 8 h and rescue analgesics (diclofenac 75 mg and meperidine 50 mg) when required. In one patient that underwent anterior approach hip arthroplasty, postoperative pelvic computerised tomography (CT) was scheduled in order to determine acetabulum damage and visualize the placement of screws. [...]additional written informed consent was obtained for CT with contrast to be performed and for the images to be used for scientific purposes. Lumbar ESPB can be used successfully for postoperative analgesia in hip surgery, with similar results when compared to other regional anesthesia techniques such as psoas compartment block and quadratus lumborum block.

BackgroundNeuraxial anesthesia when compared with general anesthesia has shown to improve outcomes following lower extremity total joint arthroplasty. It is unclear whether these benefits are present in outpatient surgery given the selection of healthier patients.ObjectiveTo compare the effects of neuraxial versus general anesthesia on outcomes following ambulatory hip and knee arthroplasty.MethodsMulticentered retrospective cohort study in ambulatory hip or knee arthroplasty patients between January 2017 and December 2019. Primary endpoint examined 30-day major postoperative complications (mortality, myocardial infarction, deep venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, stroke, and acute renal failure).ResultsOf 11 523 eligible patients identified, 10 003 received neuraxial anesthesia, while 1520 received general anesthesia. 30-day major complications did not differ between neuraxial anesthesia and general anesthesia groups (1.8% vs 2.3%; aOR=0.85, CI: 0.56 to 1.27, p=0.39). There was no difference in 30-day minor complications (surgical site infection, pneumonia, urinary tract infection; 3.3% vs 4.1%; aOR=0.83, CI: 0.62 to 1.14, p=0.23). The neuraxial group demonstrated reduced pain and analgesia requirements and had less postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Median recovery room length of stay was shorter by 52 min in the general anesthesia group, but these patients were more likely to fail same day discharge (33% vs 23.4%; p<0.01).ConclusionAnesthesia type was not associated with an increased risk for complications. However, neuraxial anesthesia improved outcomes that predict readiness for discharge: patients had less pain, required less opioids, and had a lower incidence of PONV, thus improving the rate of same day discharge.Trial registration number NCT04203732.

This systematic review and network meta-analysis aimed to compare the analgesic efficacy of transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB) and quadratus lumborum block (QLB) on nephrectomy. Systematic review and network meta-analysis. Patients undergoing nephrectomy. TAPB and QLB for postoperative analgesia. The primary outcome was 24 h morphine-equivalent consumptions after surgery. Secondary outcomes included postoperative pain scores, postoperative opioid consumption, postoperative rescue analgesia, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), length of hospital stay after surgery, and patient satisfaction. Fourteen studies involving 883 patients were included. Seven studies compared TAPB to control, six studies compared QLB to control, and one study compared TAPB to QLB. For direct meta-analysis of the post-surgical 24 h morphine-equivalent consumption, QLB was lower than control (mean difference [95%CI]: −18.16 [−28.96, −7.37]; I2 = 88%; p = 0.001), while there was no difference between TAPB and control (mean difference [95%CI]: −8.34 [−17.84, 1.17]; I2 = 88%; p = 0.09). Network meta-analysis showed similar findings that QLB was ranked as the best anesthetic technique for reducing postoperative 24 h opioid consumption (p-score = 0.854). Moreover, in direct meta-analysis, as compared to control, the time of first postoperative rescue analgesia was prolonged after QLB (mean difference [95%CI]: 165.00 [128.99, 201.01]; p < 0.00001), but not TAPB (mean difference [95%CI]: 296.82 [−91.92, 685.55]; p = 0.13). Meanwhile, QLB can effectively reduce opioid usages at intraoperative period, as well as at postoperative 6 h and 48 h, while TAPB can only reduce opioid consumption at 6 h after surgery. As compared to control, both TAPB and QLB exhibited the reduction in PONV and pain scores at post-surgical some timepoints. Also, QLB (mean difference [95%CI]: −0.29 [−0.49, −0.08]; p = 0.006) but not TAPB (mean difference [95%CI]: 0.60 [−0.25, 1.45]; p = 0.17) exhibited the shorter postoperative length of hospital stay than control. QLB is more likely to be effective in reducing postoperative opioid use than TAPB, whereas both of them are superior to control with regard to the reduction in postoperative pain intensity and PONV. Trial registration: PROSPERO identifier: CRD42022358464. •QLB is more likely to be effective in reducing postoperative opioid use than TAPB.•QLB and TAPB were equivalent to reduce postoperative pain intensity.•QLB and TAPB were equivalent to reduce the incidence of PONV.•QLB shortened the postoperative length of hospital stay.

Moderate-severe pain after surgical procedures is associated with decreased quality of life and increased costs. This study aimed to identify the incidence and predictive factors of moderate-severe postoperative pain within 48 hours following video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in a tertiary hospital. A retrospective cohort analysis was performed using medical records of adult patients who underwent VATS between January 2015 and December 2016. Logistic regression was performed to identify predictive factors for moderate-severe pain (visual analogue scale, VAS ≥ 4) within 24 hours and within 48 hours postoperatively. Of the 1164 participants, the incidence of moderate-severe pain was 12.7% within the first 24 hours and 15.6% within the first 48 hours after surgery. In multivariable analysis, the independent risk factors related to moderate-severe pain within 24 hours after surgery were younger age, increased body mass index, preoperative pain within 1 month and history of smoking. The risk factors for moderate-severe acute pain within 48 hours were almost the same, except that the number of chest tubes were also included. Moderate-severe postoperative pain following VATS is not rare, and presence of several risk factors deserves more aggressive pain management strategies perioperatively.

Postoperative nausea and vomiting are common complications after surgery, and female patients are more likely to experience these adverse events. The goal of this study was to explore the relationship between the CHRM3 rs2165870 polymorphism and postoperative vomiting incidence in female patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery. Two hundred female patients who underwent elective laparoscopic surgery with subsequent patient-controlled intravenous analgesia using dexmedetomidine and sufentanil were prospectively enrolled. The CHRM3 rs2165870 and KCNB2 rs349358 polymorphisms were genotyped using MassARRAY SNP typing technology. Demographic data and preoperative laboratory results of all patients were recorded. Postoperative analgesia-related information, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, and other adverse events were followed up and recorded for analysis. No significant differences were observed in any of the demographic characteristics of these patients among the different genotype carriers (P>0.05). The percentages of patients with each genotype of CHRM3 were 67% (GG), 28.5% (GA) and 4.5% (AA). We found that the AA or A allele of the CHRM3 rs2165870 polymorphism elevated the risk of postoperative vomiting (AA versus GG; OR, 6.94; 95% CI, 1.49-32.46; P = 0.014; A versus G; OR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.22-5.19; P = 0.012). The percentages of patients with each genotype of KCNB2 were 84.5% (TT), 15.5% (CT) and 0% (CC). There were no significant differences in the postoperative nausea or vomiting rate across the KCNB2 rs349358 polymorphisms (P>0.05). The CHRM3 rs2165870 polymorphism is associated with the occurrence of postoperative vomiting in female patients who have undergone laparoscopic surgery. The AA genotype or A allele of the CHRM3 rs2165870 polymorphism elevates the risk of postoperative vomiting. www.chictr.org.cn, registration number: ChiCTR2200062425.