(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – For decades, doctors prescribed opioids as the primary method of pain management for patients after surgery. While opioids are highly effective, they come with side effects that can slow recovery and present a risk for misuse or addiction.With an ongoing nationwide opioid epidemic, medical professionals atThe Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center—Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC—James) have implemented an opioid-sparing surgical recovery approach for cancer patients that has shown to shorten recovery times and improve patient outcomes. Since its start in 2016, experts documented a 25% reduction in average post-surgical hospital stay and a50% reduction in use of opioid-based pain medications during and immediately after surgery.
“Opioids can cause nausea, breathing issues and can cause the GI tract to not wake up as fast after surgery,” said Dr. Michelle Humeidan, the anesthesiologist who leads the enhanced surgical recovery and pain management initiative at the OSUCCC—James. “Less opiates means less side effects and faster recovery. Patients are able to go home from the hospital sooner and continue to do as well if not better than they would have with the old style of pain management.”
The opioid-sparing surgical recovery approach uses a regimen of drugs such as acetaminophen prior to surgery, regional or neuraxial blocks during surgery and over-the-counter pain medication after surgery. It also incorporates less bed rest and more movement for patients after surgery. The successful implementation of the opioid-sparing recovery initiative for cancer patients resulted in expansion to additional surgical programs at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
“We have greatly expanded implementation of opioid-sparing surgical recovery programs in the course of about seven years,” said Dr. Humeidan. “That’s great because patients can continue their recovery at home and feel empowered to take care of themselves. This also enables them to feel that their concerns are being heard and that the healthcare system is providing options to manage their pain in a way they are comfortable with.”
Experts hope the success of the opioid-sparingapproach at Ohio State will prompt more healthcare institutions to explore similar surgical recovery protocols, making a major impact on the number of patients exposed to addictive medications.
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Cancer patients undergoing surgery are educated about the comprehensive pain management approach at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute and the benefits of avoiding opioid-based pain medications for smooth post-surgical recovery. The surgical recovery program helps manage pain effectively with over-the-counter medications and has even been shown to reduce hospital stays.
Dr. Michelle Humeidan administers localized pain medication to a patient prior to surgery at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. Combining this method with non-opioid based pain medications and less bed rest has been shown to reduce hospital stays and help patients recover efficiently without opioids.
Britt Collier-Gibson’s breast cancer treatment plan included surgery, but she was hesitant to take opioids to manage the pain. She welcomed the opioid-sparing approach to pain management for surgical recovery utilized at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, which has helped patients like Collier-Gibson recover without exposure to potentially addictive pain medications.
Medical experts documented a 25% reduction in average hospital stays after surgery and 50% reduction in opioid-based pain management during and after surgery for cancer patients treated as part of a new surgical recovery initiative at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.
The opioid-sparing surgical recovery program at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute enables cancer patients like Britt Collier-Gibson to recover more quickly after surgery by combining non-opioid based pain medication with less bed rest and more movement.
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC-James)
