Comment on “Impact of Preoperative Opioid Use on Health Outcomes Following Bariatric Surgery.”

The opioid epidemic has had far reaching consequences for bariatric surgeons. We have had an awakening and have collectively realized that our sub-specialty has to do a better job at protecting our patients from this destructive addiction process. In a study of nine hospital systems in the US, 4.0% of patients who were not chronic opioid users prior to bariatric surgery converted to chronic use after surgery.1 Another similar study indicated that 77% of bariatric surgical patients who were on chronic pain medicines prior to surgery, not only remained on opioid therapy post surgically , but collectively increased their overall opioid intake.2 Recently, the ASMBS and the American College of Surgeons, through the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Project (MBSAQIP) have instituted two nationwide quality improvement projects: ENERGY (Employing Enhanced Recovery Goals in Bariatric Surgery)3 and the ongoing BSTOP (Bariatric Surgery Targeting Opioid Prescriptions) projects.
Source: Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases - Category: Surgery Authors: Source Type: research