Evidence-based perioperative opioid-sparing techniques during the United States opioid crisis

Abstract

Purpose of review The current United States opioid epidemic resulted from the overprescribing of opioids by physicians and surgeons in response to deceptive and unlawful marketing campaigns by pharmaceutical companies seeking to profit from opioid sales. Surgeons have a moral obligation to employ evidence-based opioid-sparing analgesia protocols for management of perioperative pain. Recent findings Recent evidence strongly supports the use of NSAIDs in perioperative pain management, with large studies demonstrating no increased risk of postoperative hemorrhage or renal insult. Summary We present an evidence-based approach for opioid-sparing perioperative pain management, including multimodal analgesia guidelines used at our center for patients undergoing free flap facial reanimation procedures.