Role of Multimodal Analgesia in Recovery and Acute Pain in Bariatric Surgery

Abstract

Obesity affects pathophysiology causing cardiac, respiratory, and metabolic disorders. In modern societies, bariatric weight-loss surgical procedures are escalating, as surgery has become a treatment method for obesity. Pain management of obese patients can be challenging, and respiratory depression caused by opioids can lead to mortality in this population. Multimodal analgesia (MMA) consisting of multiple analgesics that act by diverse routes at different pain receptors providing synergistic analgesia, associated with opioid use alone is found to be of high quality and effectiveness. Multimodal analgesia has shown to improve pain management by decreasing doses and adverse effects of opioids and delivering quality analgesia that is safe and proficient. Use of MMA is an evidence-based practice guideline adopted by many anesthesia providers for the advantages of better pain management, lower healthcare costs, and earlier discharge. Providing efficient pain management impacts the society by improving quality of care and decreasing mortality after surgery. The aim of this pilot quasi-experimental project was to verify if the use of MMA improved pain control and decreased the length of stay for adult bariatric surgery patients during the last four years at a federal funded healthcare facility in the southwest. Analysis of the data revealed that there was no difference in the amount of opioids consumed or the length of stay between the opioid only and the MMA groups.