Pediatric Pain and Pain Management After Ambulatory Plastic Surgery: Trends in the Age of Opioid Awareness.

Background: Overprescribing by physicians has been shown to be a major contributor to the opioid epidemic. Although pediatric ambulatory plastic surgery patients are commonly prescribed opioids for postoperative pain control, there is a lack of evidence for their necessity. This study aimed to investigate the role of prescribed narcotics in the ambulatory pediatric plastic surgery setting.

Reduction of Unnecessary Gastrostomy Tube Placement in Hospitalized Patients.

Background: Many patients undergoing gastrostomy tube placement at one academic medical center were able to resume an oral diet prior to discharge or did not survive hospitalization. The objective of this study was to reduce placement of nonbeneficial gastrostomy tubes and to maintain or improve adherence to gastrostomy tube guidelines.

Methods: In February 2017 the Acute Care Surgery service began an initiative in which gastrostomy tube placement was deferred until the patient was deemed medically stable for discharge.