Effect of Preoperative Patient Education on Opioid Consumption and Well-Being in Breast Augmentation

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Perioperative use of opioids is common in surgical practice and frequently results in troublesome opioid-related side effects that often lead to suboptimal postsurgical outcomes. As such, multiple studies have sought to identify alternatives that may reduce reliance on opioid-based perioperative pain management. Recently, it has been shown that patient education and patient involvement in care positively impact surgical outcomes. This study evaluates how patient education regarding the role of endogenous beta-endorphins in reducing pain and the opposing effect of opioid analgesics impacts opioid consumption and mood after surgery. METHODS: Patients scheduled for breast augmentation were divided into two groups, A and B. Both groups received identical multimodal anesthesia regimens; however, only patients in group B were educated on the role of endogenous beta-endorphins in pain control and mood enhancement, and how opioids block their action. RESULTS: Patients in the group receiving preoperative education on the analgesic and mood-enhancing role of endogenous beta-endorphins and how opioids block their action consumed significantly less opioids and had better postsurgical outcomes as determined by self-reported measures of pain level and mood/sense of well-being. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that opioid use was significantly reduced and patients' mood/sense of well-being was significantly enhanced when patients received preoperative education on the oppositional relationship between beta-endorphins and opioids. Such patient education may be linked to a significant reduction in opioid use and improved patient mood/sense of well-being, especially when combined with opioid-free multimodal anesthesia. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, II.

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