Key result
Opioid-free anaesthesia reduces postoperative pain, nausea, and vomiting versus opioid-based anaesthesia.
Why the study?
There is no clear evidence that intraoperative opioids reduce postoperative pain scores, prompting interest in opioid-free anaesthesia to improve postoperative pain control.
Does opioid-free anaesthesia improve postoperative pain control?
Systematic Review (n=3,483)
Does opioid-free anaesthesia improve postoperative pain control?
p-value: p=<0.05
Opioid-free anaesthesia is being explored as a technique to improve postoperative pain control, given the lack of clear evidence that intraoperative opioids reduce postoperative pain scores.
May support opioid-free anaesthesia to reduce pain and PONV; leaves open confirmation in large RCTs before practice change.
Balanced anaesthesia relies on the administration of opioids in the perioperative period as antinociceptive agents. There is no clear evidence that intraoperative opioids result in reduction of postoperative pain scores. Opioid-free anaesthesia (OFA), combination of various opioids-sparing techniques leading to no administration of intraoperative systemic, neuraxial or intracavitary opioids, arises from the attempt to develop anti-hyperalgesic techniques to improve postoperative pain control.
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Machado Humberto S (2020) conducted a systematic review in General anaesthesia (n=3,483). Opioid-free anaesthesia vs. Opioid-based anaesthesia was evaluated on First measure of pain score at rest and at 24 postoperative hours (p=<0.05). Opioid-free anaesthesia significantly lowered postoperative pain scores at rest and at 24 hours, and reduced postoperative nausea and vomiting compared to opioid-based anaesthesia.
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