Low Incidence of Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression Observed with Oliceridine Regardless of Age or Body Mass Index: Exploratory Analysis from a Phase 3 Open-Label Trial in Postsurgical Pain.

Introduction: Advanced age and obesity are reported to increase the risk of opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD). Oliceridine, an intravenous opioid, is a G-protein-biased agonist at the µ-opioid receptor that may provide improved safety. The recent phase 3 ATHENA open-label, multicenter study evaluated postoperative use of oliceridine in patients with moderate-to-severe acute pain.

ATHENA: A Phase 3, Open-Label Study Of The Safety And Effectiveness Of Oliceridine (TRV130), A G-Protein Selective Agonist At The µ-Opioid Receptor, In Patients With Moderate To Severe Acute Pain Requiring Parenteral Opioid Therapy.

Background: Pain management with conventional opioids can be challenging due to dose-limiting adverse events (AEs), some of which may be related to the simultaneous activation of β-arrestin (a signaling pathway associated with opioid-related AEs) and G-protein pathways. The investigational analgesic oliceridine is a G-protein-selective agonist at the µ-opioid receptor with less recruitment of β-arrestin. The objective of this phase 3, open-label, multi-center study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability, of IV oliceridine for moderate to severe acute pain in a broad, real-world patient population, including postoperative surgical patients and non-surgical patients with painful medical conditions.

Recovery of physical activity after cesarean delivery and its relationship with pain.

Pain and physical activity are tightly intertwined. Although their relationship has been explored in chronic pain conditions, we know little about the pattern of recovery in activity and its short- and long-term relationship with pain after surgery. We recruited 103 women undergoing elective cesarean delivery and acquired daily pain assessments and hourly steps in 98 of them for 2 months after surgery.

Epidural Neostigmine versus Fentanyl to Decrease Bupivacaine Use in Patient-controlled Epidural Analgesia during Labor: A Randomized, Double-blind, Controlled Study.

Background: The addition of opioids to epidural local anesthetic reduces local anesthetic consumption by 20% but at the expense of side effects and time spent for regulatory compliance paperwork. Epidural neostigmine also reduces local anesthetic use. The authors hypothesized that epidural bupivacaine with neostigmine would decrease total hourly bupivacaine use compared with epidural bupivacaine with fentanyl for patient-controlled epidural analgesia.

Combined Spinal Epidural Technique for Labor Analgesia Does Not Delay Recognition of Epidural Catheter Failures: A Single-center Retrospective Cohort Survival Analysis.

Background: It is unclear whether recognition of epidural catheter failures is delayed with combined spinal epidural technique (CSE) compared to traditional epidural technique (EPID) when used for labor analgesia. The authors hypothesized that recognition of failed catheters is not delayed by CSE.

Methods: Anesthetic, obstetric, and quality assurance records from 2,395 labor neuraxial procedures (1,440 CSE and 955 EPID) performed at Forsyth Medical Center (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) between June 30 and December 31, 2012, were retrospectively analyzed.

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Two Multimodal Analgesic Techniques in Patients Predicted to Have Severe Pain After Cesarean Delivery.

Background: Improved pain control after cesarean delivery remains a challenging objective. Poorly treated acute pain following delivery is associated with an increased risk of chronic pain and depression. This study was conducted to determine whether the addition of systemic acetaminophen and an increased dose of intrathecal morphine would further reduce acute pain.

A randomized controlled comparison between combined spinal-epidural and single-shot spinal techniques in morbidly obese parturients undergoing cesarean delivery: time for initiation of anesthesia.

Background: There is no current consensus on the optimal technique for subarachnoid anesthesia in morbidly obese parturients even though some providers prefer the combined spinal-epidural (CSE) over single-shot spinal (SSS) technique. In this randomized controlled study, we compared the time required for initiation of subarachnoid anesthesia between SSS and CSE techniques in morbidly obese parturients undergoing elective cesarean delivery.

Methods: Morbidly obese parturients presenting for elective cesarean delivery were randomized to receive subarachnoid anesthesia performed either with a SSS or a CSE technique.

Predicting acute pain after cesarean delivery using three simple questions.

Background: Interindividual variability in postoperative pain presents a clinical challenge. Preoperative quantitative sensory testing is useful but time consuming in predicting postoperative pain intensity. The current study was conducted to develop and validate a predictive model of acute postcesarean pain using a simple three-item preoperative questionnaire.

Success of spinal and epidural labor analgesia: comparison of loss of resistance technique using air versus saline in combined spinal-epidural labor analgesia technique.

Background: Comparison of air versus saline for loss of resistance technique (LORT) in combined spinal epidural labor analgesia (CSE) has not been evaluated, and neither has the relation between CSE characteristics (the presence/absence of initial spontaneous clear fluid return or upon aspiration) and spinal/epidural analgesia outcomes. The authors hypothesized that there is no difference in the spinal analgesia success or epidural catheter efficacy between using air versus saline LORT for CSE.

Methods: A total of 360 patients were randomized to air or saline LORT for CSE.

Neostigmine decreases bupivacaine use by patient-controlled epidural analgesia during labor: a randomized controlled study.

Background: Intrathecal neostigmine not only produces analgesia but also severe nausea. In contrast, epidural neostigmine enhances opioid and local anesthetic analgesia without causing nausea. Previous studies examined only single epidural neostigmine bolus administration and did not assess the efficacy of continuous epidural infusion or several aspects of maternal and fetal safety.

Severity of acute pain after childbirth, but not type of delivery, predicts persistent pain and postpartum depression.

Cesarean delivery rates continue to increase, and surgery is associated with chronic pain, often co-existing with depression. Also, acute pain in the days after surgery is a strong predictor of chronic pain. Here we tested if mode of delivery or acute pain played a role in persistent pain and depression after childbirth.

Antiemetic prophylaxis for postdischarge nausea and vomiting and impact on functional quality of living during recovery in patients with high emetic risks: a prospective, randomized, double-blind comparison of two prophylactic antiemetic regimens.

Background: We compared two antiemetic prophylaxis regimens, their efficacy for preventing postdischarge nausea and vomiting, and their impact on quality of living, during recovery.

Methods: Sixty-four women undergoing outpatient gynecological surgery and at high risk for emesis were randomized into one of two groups. The study group received intraoperative IV dexamethasone 8 mg and ondansetron 4 mg, followed with an 8 mg oral disintegrating ondansetron tablet, to be taken on discharge and in the morning of postoperative days 1 and 2.

Multifactorial preoperative predictors for postcesarean section pain and analgesic requirement.

Background: The study aimed to determine predictive factors for postcesarean pain and analgesia using an assessment of pain threshold and suprathreshold thermal stimuli as well as degree of somatization and anxiety.

Methods: Thirty-four healthy parturients scheduled for cesarean delivery under subarachnoid anesthesia were enrolled. Preoperative thermal pain threshold, intensity, and unpleasantness to heat stimuli applied to arm and lower back, State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and patient expectation for postoperative pain and need for analgesia were assessed.

Dural puncture with a 27-gauge Whitacre needle as part of a combined spinal-epidural technique does not improve labor epidural catheter function.

Background: This prospective, double-blind, randomized study was designed to examine whether the combined spinal-epidural technique without subarachnoid drug administration improved epidural catheter function when compared with the traditional epidural technique.

Methods: After institutional review board approval and informed consent, 251 healthy laboring parturients were randomly assigned to either group DP (combined spinal-epidural technique with 27-gauge Whitacre needle dural puncture but without subarachnoid drug administration) or group NoDP (traditional epidural technique). Patient-controlled epidural analgesia was initiated with 0.

Chronobiology of subarachnoid fentanyl for labor analgesia.

Background: Chronobiology studies the recurrent biologic rhythms that directly affect how an organism interacts with its environment and how its environment affects the organism. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the time of administration influences the analgesic duration of the commonly used subarachnoid fentanyl for labor analgesia.

Methods: After institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained, 77 healthy nulliparous women in active labor requesting neuraxial analgesia were assigned to one of two groups, based on the time of combined spinal-epidural analgesia placement: the day group, for the time period from 12:00 to 18:00, and the night group, for the period from 20:00 to 02:00.

Severe maternal bradycardia and asystole after combined spinal-epidural labor analgesia in a morbidly obese parturient.

Serious maternal bradycardia and asystole in laboring parturients after combined spinal-epidural labor analgesia are rare. We report such a case in a morbidly obese laboring parturient after receiving combined spinal-epidural labor analgesia. The differential diagnosis, risk factors, potential contributing factors, and the successful management of the complications with our positive patient outcome are discussed.

Incidence of postdural puncture headache and backache, and success rate of dural puncture: comparison of two spinal needle designs.

Objectives: The goal of this randomized study was to compare the incidence of postdural puncture headache (PDPH) and postdural puncture backache (PDPB), and the success rate between two small-gauge spinal needle designs used in women undergoing subarachnoid block anesthesia.

Methods: After Institutional Review Board approval, 215 patients presenting for tubal ligation were randomly assigned to have 26-gauge Atraucan (AT group) or 25-gauge Whitacre (WH group) spinal needles used in their spinal anesthesia. The number of attempts to successful cerebrospinal fluid return and the success rate of the spinal blockade were documented.

Reduced duration of intrathecal sufentanil analgesia in laboring cocaine users.

Unlabelled: On the basis of our previous clinical experience, we hypothesized in this study that the duration and/or quality of labor analgesia produced by intrathecal sufentanil was less in cocaine-abusing parturients compared with nonabusing parturients. Ten micro g of sufentanil was given intrathecally as part of a combined spinal-epidural (CSE) technique to two groups of laboring parturients: 1). those whose urine tested positive for cocaine (cocaine group), and 2).