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Patients on Buprenorphine Formulations Undergoing Surgery

  • Acute Pain Medicine (R Urman, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Pain and Headache Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To review the pharmacology of buprenorphine, the evolution of buprenorphine dosing recommendations, and the current literature regarding its recommendations for the perioperative period.

Recent Findings

There is a consensus that for all surgeries, buprenorphine should be continued throughout the perioperative period. If the surgery is a minimal to mild pain surgery, no dose adjustment is needed. There is no clear consensus regarding moderate to severe pain. With all surgeries, multimodal analgesia should be utilized, with regional anesthesia when possible.

Summary

Patients taking buprenorphine should continue their buprenorphine perioperatively; whether to decrease or maintain dosing is up for debate. Multimodal analgesia should also be used throughout the perioperative period, and communication between the patient and all provider teams is of the utmost importance to provide adequate analgesia during the perioperative period, as well as to arrange safe analgesia upon discharge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, Montefiore Medical Center, 111 East 210th St, Bronx, NY, 10467, USA

    Katelynn Champagne, Preshita Date & Karina Gritsenko

  2. Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA

    Juan Pablo Forero & Karina Gritsenko

  3. Townsend Harris High School, 149-11 Melbourne Ave, Flushing, NY, 11367, USA

    Joshua Arany

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  1. Katelynn Champagne
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Correspondence to Karina Gritsenko.

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Karina Gritsenko declares a consultancy conflict of interest with Avanos and Pacira. None of the other authors declare a conflict of interest.

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Champagne, K., Date, P., Forero, J.P. et al. Patients on Buprenorphine Formulations Undergoing Surgery. Curr Pain Headache Rep 26, 459–468 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-022-01046-6

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