It’s no secret that the U.S. is in the throes of a major heroin epidemic, at least partly caused by the over-prescription of opioid painkillers by well-meaning physicians. When it comes to perioperative pain control, there are new ways to tackle patient discomfort without resorting to prescription opioids.
Dr. Sonia Szlyk, an anaesthesiologist and director of regional anaesthesia for North American Partners in Anaesthesia's Mid-Atlantic division, explains how local anaesthesia (aided by ultrasound guidance) is helping control post-operative discomfort without limiting patient mobility. Dr. Szlyk recently spoke to Becker’s Hospital Review about how the increase in ultrasound-guided nerve blocks in post-surgical patients can help reduce opioid use.
“More than 70 million patients per year are prescribed opioids for postoperative pain, and one in 15 will go on to long-term use and abuse,” explains Dr. Szlyk. “We have a responsibility to our patients and our community to make sure we are providing excellent pain control and using non-narcotic methods to achieve that goal. Regional anaesthesia helps us do that.”
“Especially for lower extremity procedures such as total knee replacement, ultrasound guidance is used to selectively inject local anaesthetic around the nerves responsible for pain,” says Szlyk, “while preserving motor function or strength in the leg. This allows patients to be comfortable after surgery without hindering physical therapy.”
How has the use of point-of-care ultrasound changed the way local anaesthetic is delivered to post-operative patients?
“Ultrasound guidance has had such an impact because it allows us to visualise structures beneath the skin and tailor the nerve block injection to the patient's anatomy… injections are more accurate and can be performed in a very safe, efficient manner.”
Read the entire interview with Dr. Szlyk at Becker’s Hospital Review.