Outcomes After Injection-Based Therapy: A Pain Outcomes Questionnaire for Veterans Univariate Analysis.

Background: The Pain Outcomes Questionnaire-For Veterans (POQ-VA) was developed within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) as a brief but psychometrically sound pain outcomes instrument that assesses key domains. In routine clinical practice, it is valid and reliable for evaluating effectiveness of treatment of chronic noncancer pain in veterans. We hypothesized that POQ-VA scores would improve across multiple domains in the veteran population following injection-based interventional treatment for chronic pain. Methods: We aggregated all available POQ-VA reports from veterans who underwent ≥ 1 interventional pain procedures between April 1, 2009 and April 1, 2019. Patients were included who had pre- and posttreatment POQ-VA results separated by ≤ 6 months (N = 112). A paired-samples t test was used to compare means, standard deviations, and ranges for each POQ-VA domain. Individual question responses were analyzed using a nonparametric Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test. Results: All POQ-VA domains showed a statistically significant decrease posttreatment (P ≤ .03). Directionally, the responses to 17 of 20 individual POQ-VA questions reflect a small but statistically significant positive treatment response (P < .04). Conclusions: Most veterans undergoing injection therapy for chronic pain had statistically significant improvements in POQ-VA measures within a 6-month period. To conduct more rigorous, multivariate studies, continued and widespread use of the POQ-VA instrument is warranted.

The effect of systemic lidocaine on post-operative opioid consumption in ambulatory surgical patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Ambulatory surgical procedures continue to grow in relevance to perioperative medicine. Clinical studies have examined the use of systemic lidocaine as a component of multimodal analgesia in various surgeries with mixed results. A quantitative review of the opioid-sparing effects of systemic lidocaine in ambulatory surgery has not been investigated. The primary objective of this study was to systematically review the effectiveness of systemic lidocaine on postoperative analgesic outcomes in patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. METHODS: We performed a quantitative systematic review of randomized controlled trials in electronic databases (Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, and Google Scholar) from their inception through February 2019. Included trials investigated the effects of intraoperative systemic lidocaine on postoperative analgesic outcomes, time to hospital discharge, and adverse events. Methodological quality was evaluated using Cochrane Collaboration's tool and the level of evidence was assessed using GRADE criteria. Data was combined in a meta-analysis using random-effects models. RESULTS: Five trials evaluating 297 patients were included in the analysis. The pooled effect of systemic lidocaine on postoperative opioid consumption at post-anesthesia care unit revealed a significant effect, weighted mean difference (95% CI) of - 4.23 (- 7.3 to 1.2, P = 0.007), and, at 24 h, weighted mean difference (95% CI) of - 1.91 (- 3.80 to - 0.03, P = 0.04) mg intravenous morphine equivalents. Postoperative pain control during both time intervals, postoperative nausea and vomiting reported at post anesthesia care unit, and time to hospital discharge were not different between groups. The incidence rate of self-limiting adverse events of the included studies is 0.007 (2/297). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that intraoperative systemic lidocaine as treatment for postoperative pain has a moderate opioid-sparing effect in post anesthesia care unit with limited effect at 24 h after ambulatory surgery. Moreover, the opioid-sparing effect did not impact the analgesia or the presence of nausea and vomiting immediately or 24 h after surgery. Clinical trials with larger sample sizes are necessary to further confirm the short-term analgesic benefit of systemic lidocaine following ambulatory surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO ( CRD42019142229 ).

Meta-Analysis of the Surgical and Rehabilitative Outcomes of Hip Arthroscopy in Athletes With Femoroacetabular Impingement.

OBJECTIVES: Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) poses a threat to athletes' capacity to compete. This review aims to estimate the rate of return to sport after hip arthroscopy for treatment of FAI as well as identify factors that may affect athletes' outcomes. DESIGN: Meta-analysis. METHODS: Four databases (EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane) were searched in July 2015 by 2 reviewers. Studies were required to include athletes who were treated with hip arthroscopy for symptomatic FAI and also report return to sport as an outcome. A validated tool was used for quality assessment and level of agreement between raters was calculated. A meta-analysis for proportions returning to sport was performed on the available data using MedCalc software. Additional outcomes were descriptively analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 15 case series involving 823 patients were included in the review, with moderate to high methodological quality. 88.3% [95% confidence interval (CI), 83.4%-92.4%] of athletes returned to sport after arthroscopy and 85.3% (95% CI, 77.6%-91.6%) returned to preinjury level. All outcome measures used reported measurable improvements. Complication rates were low. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of athletes return to sport after hip arthroscopy for symptomatic FAI. Severity of intraarticular damage and degree of degenerative changes affect ability to return to sport. Additional validated outcome measures should be used together with return to sport. Future studies should be prospective with longer-term follow-up to provide a higher level of evidence for outcomes.

Pectoral nerve blocks and postoperative pain outcomes after mastectomy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Several studies have evaluated the effect of pectoral nerve blocks to improve postoperative analgesia following breast cancer surgery resulting in contradictory findings. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of Pecs blocks on postoperative analgesia in women following mastectomies. METHODS: We performed a quantitative systematic review in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Articles of randomized controlled trials that compared Pecs block (types I and II) to a control group in patients undergoing mastectomy were included. The primary outcome was total opioid consumption 24 hours after surgery. Secondary outcomes included pain scores and side effects. Meta-analysis was performed using the random effect model. RESULTS: 7 randomized controlled trials with 458 patients were included in the analysis. The effect of pectoral nerve blocks on postoperative opioid consumption compared with control revealed a significant effect, weighted mean difference (WMD) (95% CI) of --4.99 (-7.90 to -2.08) mg intravenous morphine equivalents (p=0.001). In addition, postoperative pain compared with control was reduced at 6 hours after surgery: WMD (95% CI) of -0.72 (-1.37 to -0.07), p=0.03, and at 24 hours after surgery: WMD (95% CI) of -0.91 (-1.81 to -0.02), p=0.04. DISCUSSION: This quantitative analysis of randomized controlled trials demonstrates that the Pecs block is effective for reducing postoperative opioid consumption and pain in patients undergoing mastectomy. The Pecs block should be considered as an effective strategy to improve analgesic outcomes in patients undergoing mastectomies for breast cancer treatment.

Impact of Outpatient Total Joint Replacement on Postoperative Outcomes.

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) has demonstrated tremendous benefits to patients with osteoarthritis. Health care reform has influenced surgeons to optimize TJA care pathways as well as playing a role in the formation of outpatient TJA protocols. Understanding the outcomes of outpatient TJA is imperative to surgical predicate decision making. The aim of this review is to compare outcomes of outpatient TJA patients to standard-stay inpatients. Postoperative outcomes assessed include pain, complications, readmissions, reoperation, patient satisfaction, and cost.

What Are Athletes' Perceptions of Rehabilitation Outcome One Year Post Hip Arthroscopy?

BACKGROUND: Hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure. Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is being increasingly recognized as a cause of hip pain in athletes and is a growing indication for arthroscopic surgery. Few studies have attempted to address patient views on outcome following arthroscopy and no qualitative studies have been carried out to date. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study are to explore athletes' perceptions of rehabilitation outcome, the rehabilitative process and return to sport and to gain an insight into factors that affected this process. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective qualitative approach was adopted using semi-structured interviews. Eight eligible participants were interviewed. Each had been treated with hip arthroscopy for FAI between September-November 2010. Data were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged. 1. Ability to participate in sport; athletes were relatively satisfied with outcome despite some limitations in sporting ability. 2. Perceptions of hip problems; there was a lack of understanding and an association of hip problems with older people among the general public. 3. Athletes' perception of rehabilitation; athletes were dissatisfied with the rehabilitation and sought greater physiotherapy input. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, athletes were relatively satisfied with their outcome, one year post hip arthroscopy, despite some having to adapt their sporting activities. Key areas that need to be addressed in future research include factors affecting outcomes of hip arthroscopy, longer term outcomes, perception of FAI among the public and health practitioners and the development of standardized evidence-based rehabilitation protocol.