Previous small studies showed that opioids may not be needed for minimally invasive gynecologic surgeries.A randomized trial showed that managing pain with non-opioid options was just as effective as routine pain management with opioids after minimally invasive hysterectomy.Both study arms reported high satisfaction with their pain management.
Managing pain with non-opioid options was just as effective as routine pain management with opioids after minimally invasive hysterectomy, a randomized trial showed.
Mean pain scores measured using the 11-point Numeric Rating Scale (NRS-11) were 4.0 and 2.1 on postoperative days 1 and 7 for patients taking non-opioids versus 5.0 and 3.1 for those taking opioids, which met the criteria for noninferiority, reported Mostafa Borahay, MD, PhD, of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and colleagues.
Importantly, patients in both groups had high satisfaction with their pain control, with 91% of the non-opioid group and 90% of the opioid group reporting satisfaction on postoperative day 1, and 100% of both groups being satisfied on day 7, they wrote in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
"While additional studies may be needed, it seems that universal prescription of opioids after laparoscopic and robotic hysterectomy may not be needed," Borahay told MedPage Today. "Instead, we can focus on multimodal pain control after surgery and more individualized opioid prescription."
