The economic impact of opioids on postoperative pain management.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the consequences of opioid use for postoperative pain management and the degree to which these consequences may be reduced or minimized with opioid-sparing or opioid-replacement techniques.


METHODS
Literature review relating to the economics of postoperative pain management. Comparisons between opioids and opioid-sparing techniques were identified and selected for study.


RESULTS
Studies evaluating overall economic impacts or surrogate outcomes (e.g., resource use or recovery milestones) showed benefits with opioid-sparing therapies.


CONCLUSIONS
Opioids will likely remain an integral part of postoperative pain management, but side effects increase the costs of care. The challenge is to identify situations where opioid-sparing techniques improve surrogate economic measurements and decrease overall hospital costs.
Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Management, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA. bphilip@zeus.bwh.harvard.edu
Beverly K
BK
Philip
Pat Ray
PR
Reese
Steven P
SP
Burch
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics*; D017722:Hospital Charges; D006801:Humans; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics*
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid