TUESDAY, Nov. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In an expert panel consensus, published online Nov. 12 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, opioid-prescribing guidelines are presented for common dermatologic procedures.
Justin M. McLawhorn, M.D., from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, and colleagues used a four-step modified Delphi method to conduct a systematic discussion to develop opioid-prescribing guidelines for common dermatologic scenarios. The guidelines were developed for patients who were opioid-naive and undergoing routine procedures.
The researchers found that after most uncomplicated procedures (76 percent), postoperative pain can be adequately managed with acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen. No specific dermatologic scenarios were identified that routinely require more than 15 oxycodone 5-mg oral equivalents to manage postoperative pain. Twenty-three percent of procedural scenarios routinely required one to 10 opioid tablets based on group consensus, while one to 15 opioid tablets were routinely required for only one procedural scenario.
“While not exhaustive, these guidelines provide additional resources to help address many uncertainties involved with the management of postoperative pain, and may be used as a starting point to formulate a pain management plan,” the authors write.
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