[Postoperative pain therapy]

[Postoperative multimodal pain management : Cost-minimisation analysis from a hospital's point of view]

BACKGROUND

Adequate pain management after major surgery is important to improve patients' quality of life and to support the healing process. Since the cost for pain management is included in the DRG system for hospital reimbursement, hospitals should aim to provide adequate postoperative pain management at the lowest possible cost. In this study we compare two multimodal pain management schemes for postoperative pain management in a cost-minimisation analysis.

METHODS

In a decision analytic model two treatment regimes for postoperative pain management are compared in a cost-minimisation analysis: diclofenac + morphine vs paracetamol vs morphine. The study is performed from the perspective of a public hospital. Due to the short time horizon costs are not discounted.

RESULTS

Assuming comparable effectiveness for adequate postoperative pain management, the expected value in the decision tree model for the combination diclofenac + morphine is 13.37 EUR and for the combination paracetamol + morphine 32.23 EUR, respectively. The results are robust under various one- and two-way sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSION

With no contraindications given the combination diclofenac + morphine is more cost-effective for postoperative pain management after major surgery compared to paracetamol + morphine.

[Implementation of standardized postoperative pain therapy for orthopaedic patients. Comparison between unsystematic and standardized pain therapy]

BACKGROUND

The painless clinic and postoperative pain therapy are currently major issues in the management of surgical procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of a standardized pain therapy on the postoperative pain level after orthopaedic procedures.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We investigated two different groups of patients who underwent an orthopaedic surgical procedure. Group 1 (n = 249) received a pain therapy which was based on an individual and surgery-dependent concept whereas group 2 (n = 243) was treated with a standardized pain therapy concept. The effect of the treatment was monitored with a VAS-based protocol.

RESULTS

Up to day 9 after surgery there was a significant difference between the two groups in regard to the postoperative pain. The patients of group 2 had less pain but had more unwanted side effects caused by the pain therapy during the first 3 days after surgery. Mobility and mental disposition were positively affected.

CONCLUSION

The implementation of a standardized pain therapy is successful in reducing postoperative pain. Mobility and mental disposition are also influenced positively. As a consequence the incidence of unwanted side effects is rising.

[Therapy of mediastinitis in patients with esophageal cancer]

Mediastinitis caused by anastomotic leaks is the most severe complication after esophagectomy and the major source of morbidity and mortality. It is characterized by local intrathoracic reactions (mediastinitis) and systemic extrathoracic reactions (sepsis). Consequently the therapeutic concepts are clearly defined. To achieve successful management, early diagnostic work-up is mandatory in every disturbance of the normal postoperative course. This includes direct endoscopic inspection of the anastomosis to evaluate the vitality of the anastomosed organs and the size of the leak. According to location and clinical classifications of the leak, the spectrum of therapeutic options ranges from simple drainage procedures, endoscopic interventions, and stent implantation to reoperation or discontinuity resection. In any case the treatment goals must be immediate and sufficient drainage of the leakage and hindrance of further contamination across the leakage by gastrointestinal content. Also mandatory is the early initiation of supportive systemic strategies according to pathophysiologic principles of sepsis. The fundamental requirements for successful management are therefore aggressive local intervention and application of new concepts in sepsis therapy.

[A multimodal and multidisciplinary postoperative pain management concept]

Under-treatment of acute postoperative pain can lead to chronic pain with neuronal plasticity and result in poor surgical outcomes. A multimodal approach is therefore necessary to reduce postoperative pain by combining various analgesics with a non-pharmacological strategy. The current use of multimodal approaches, even for the management of postoperative pain, can reduce the side effects of pharmaceutical therapy alone as well as reducing the length of hospital stay. Adequate pain control is an important prerequisite for the application of rehabilitation programmes and will thereby influence functional outcome. In addition, patient satisfaction, as a major benchmarking factor after surgical treatment, is significantly influenced by the quality of postoperative pain management.

Perioperatives Schmerzmanagement in der Orthopädie

Organized orthopaedic pain management is a major part of successful patient treatment. Therefore pain management should start before surgery. Patients need to be informed about the operation and the subsequent procedures. Clinical pain management is based on continuous pain documentation with pain as the fifth vital sign. Surgery should be minimally invasive bewaring a peripheral modulated nociceptive sensitization. In order to prevent chronic pain preemptive analgesia should be employed followed by an individually tailored regimen of post-operative analgesia. In consideration of the documented pain levels post-operative pain therapy consisting of a standing medication and a rescue medication should by adjusted daily. Due to the fact that the highest pain levels after surgery were reported within the first 48 h pain medication should be reduced in the ensuing days, again taking the documented pain levels into account. Supportive treatment approaches such as cryotherapy or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) are useful in the post-operative period. Physiotherapy after surgery should be extended stepwise regarding the operative device and it is of particular importance to respect pain intensities. The post-hospital regimen for a continuous pain medication should be given to the orthopaedic specialist.

[Preoperative pain training. No influence on postoperative pain perception in patients undergoing cardiac surgery]

BACKGROUND

The present research was performed to investigate the influence of preoperative information on pain given by the nursing staff on postoperative pain perception in patients.

METHODS

A randomized controlled interventional study was conducted in 93 patients undergoing cardiac surgery at the University Hospital Erlangen. One day before the surgery all participants were evaluated using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, patients of the treatment group were additionally trained by a member of the nursing staff in pain behaviour. After discharge from the intensive care unit the pain experience of the patients was evaluated using standardized questionnaires.

RESULTS

Of the 93 patients, 73 finished the study protocol and were analyzed. The pain experience was not significantly different between the two study groups. Patients with increased levels of neuroticism (characterized by emotional lability) regardless of study group more frequently reported pain values above 3/10.

CONCLUSION

No significant modulation of postoperative pain experience was achieved by preoperative information on pain. However, it cannot be ruled out that this intervention, particularly in view of the reduction in anxiety, may form a significant element of perioperative pain management.

[Post-operative pain management in orthopaedic surgery and traumatology]

Provision of sufficient post-operative pain therapy is an obligation in the clinical management of patients. A wide range of medical, technical and organizational options is used to improve post-operative pain management in orthopaedic surgery. Measurement of pain is as important as the correct use of analgesics and application techniques. Standardized pain therapy algorithms should facilitate autonomous treatment of patients. Additional procedures like patient-controlled analgesia or local catheter for pain are necessary for individualized or operation-specific pain therapy. The balanced combination in postoperative pain therapy could reduce side effects and complication rates, increase mobility and enhance patient satisfaction.

Does perioperative administration of rofecoxib improve analgesia after spine, breast and orthopaedic surgery?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Data on the effectiveness of cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors in postoperative pain therapy vary widely. We tested in a prospective, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind trial the hypotheses that perioperative (i.e. preoperative and postoperative) administration of the cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitor rofecoxib decreases pain scores and morphine consumption after spine, breast and orthopaedic surgery.

METHODS

Five hundred and forty patients scheduled for spine, breast or orthopaedic surgery were randomly assigned to receive in combination with postoperative morphine via patient controlled analgesia pump for 4 days either rofecoxib 50 mg administered perioperatively, rofecoxib 50 mg administered only postoperatively, or placebo. Primary outcome criteria were pain score at rest (numeric rating scale 0-4) and morphine consumption.

RESULTS

Perioperative rofecoxib significantly decreased pain score 0 (0-1) vs. 1 (0-2) (median (interquartile range)), and morphine consumption 18 (6-33) vs. 22.5 (12-38) compared with placebo. In contrast, rofecoxib when administered only postoperatively did not significantly improve analgesic effects or side-effects at time of assessment of the main criteria (24 h after skin closure), but during the follow-up period at 48 h and 72 h after skin closure pain scores and morphine consumption were improved compared to placebo. The analgesic effects of rofecoxib were independent from the type of surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Perioperative administration of the cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitor rofecoxib decreases pain scores and morphine consumption after orthopaedic, breast and spine surgery. However, the benefit of preoperative administration of the cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitor seems to be only moderate, suggesting that early postoperative administration may be a useful alternative approach. There is no evidence that the type of surgery influences analgesic effects of cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors.

Frühe Drainagenentfernung nach videoassistierten thorakoskopischen Operationen

BACKGROUND

Chest tubes frequently cause postoperative patient discomfort after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Therefore, a prospective randomized study was conducted to analyze whether early chest tube removal within 2 h postoperatively is justified in VATS.

METHODS

Ninety-three patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria (VATS including wedge resection, complete lung extension on postoperative chest roentgenogram) and showed no exclusion criteria (lung volume reduction surgery, extensive pulmonary fibrosis, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, air fistula). Randomization resulted in early chest tube removal in 48 patients and in conventional chest tube management in 45 patients.

RESULTS

Pain intensity was significantly reduced after early chest tube removal (P=0.03, t-test). In consequence, the mean analgesic requirement was significantly reduced (P=0.0001, t-test). The number of postoperative chest roentgenograms was significantly reduced after early chest tube removal (P=0.0001, t-test). The mean postoperative length of hospital stay was 5.4 vs 6.7 days (P=0.11, t-test). No postoperative complication occurred after early chest tube removal, while postoperative complications were observed in six patients with conventional chest tube management (P=0.01, Fisher's test).

CONCLUSION

Early chest tube removal after video-assisted thoracoscopic wedge resection is recommended. The inclusion and exclusion criteria of this study should be considered for future early chest tube removal. Long-term follow-up will clarify if early chest tube removal also leads to a reduction in chronic pain.

Abdomino-rechts-thorakale Ösophagusresektion mit intrathorakaler Anastomose beim Barrett-Karzinom

The modified technique of abdomino-right-thoracic esophagectomy (the Lewis-Tanner approach) is increasingly being favoured as the surgical procedure of choice in patients with resectable adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus, so-called Barrett's cancer. The technical details of this procedure and the reconstruction of gastrointestinal continuity using a gastric tube with high intrathoracic anastomosis are illustrated, as they have proved useful in our own practice during recent years.