Effect of preoperative opioid dosage on postoperative period after thoracic spinal cord stimulator surgery

Abstract

Objective. We aim to study the impact of preoperative opioid dosage on postoperative length of stay (LOS) in patients undergoing thoracic spinal cord stimulator (SCS) placement surgery as a primary objective. Secondary objectives of this study include investigating patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) usage and postoperative complications like fever in relation to patients' preoperative opioid dosage and postoperative LOS. Methods. A total of 47 patients who underwent thoracic SCS for first time were retrospectively studied through chart review. These patients were categorized into two groups, with Group I patients taking a morphine equivalent dose (MED) of less than 100mg and Group II patients taking an MED of more than 100mg preoperatively. Results. Group I had 22 patients, and Group II had 25 patients. The average age in Group I was 53.45 years, and the average age in Group II was 50.16 years. There were seven males (38%) and 15 females (62%) in Group I, and in Group II there were 11 males (44%) and 14 females (56%). The average LOS in both groups was two days. In Group I, there were 16 patients (73%) who had an LOS of one day and six patients (27%) who had an LOS of more than one day, and in Group II there were 11 patients (44%) who had an LOS of less than one day and 14 patients (56%) who had an LOS of more than one day, with a P value of 0.047. On univariate analysis, postoperative fever and PCA usage correlated with longer hospital stay, with a P value of < 0.001. Conclusion. Patients on high-dose chronic opioid therapy, defined as an MED greater than 100 mg, who undergo thoracic spinal cord stimulator surgery tend to have longer postoperative hospital stays compared with patients on lower-dose opioid therapy.