Skip to main content

Perioperative Analgesia in Cranial and Skull Base Surgery

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Perioperative Pain Control: Tools for Surgeons

Abstract

This chapter examines the approach to management of perioperative analgesia in cranial and skull base surgeries. The controversy of pain management in cranial surgery dates back many years, and current trends in the literature are discussed including further addressing previously underrecognized pain and a drive toward the use of multimodal and non-opioid modalities. The use of scalp blockade and systemic therapies in cranial surgery are discussed. The approach to the skull base has evolved drastically in the last few decades, evolving into minimally invasive techniques that have reduced morbidity and consequently pain burden. Given the diversity of these procedures and the numerous subspecialties involved, it is not surprising that there is a need for further high-quality procedure-specific randomized controlled trials and systematic evidence-based reviews on perioperative analgesia in cranial and skull base surgeries. The current status of training in perioperative pain management in otolaryngology and neurosurgical residents also remains to be elucidated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Zabihyan S, Etemadrezaie H, Baharvahdat H. The origin of cranial surgery. World Neurosurg. 2010;74(1):7–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2010.08.014.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Dowell D, Haegerich TM, Chou R. CDC guideline for prescribing opioids for chronic pain-United States, 2016. JAMA. 2016;315(15):1624–45. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2016.1464.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Chowdhury T, Garg R, Sheshadri V, et al. Perioperative factors contributing the post-craniotomy pain: a synthesis of concepts. Front Med. 2017;4(Mar) https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2017.00023.

  4. Dunbar PJ, Visco E, Lam AM. Craniotomy procedures are associated with less analgesic requirements than other surgical procedures. Anesth Analg. 1999;88(2):335–40. https://doi.org/10.1097/00000539-199902000-00021.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Dunn LK, Naik BI, Nemergut EC, Durieux ME. Post-craniotomy pain management: beyond opioids. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2016;16(10) https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-016-0693-y.

  6. Albano S, Quadri SA, Ajaz M, Khan YR, Siddiqi J. Postoperative craniotomy pain in emergent versus non-emergent cases. Cureus. 2019; https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.5525.

  7. Gottschalk A, Berkow LC, Stevens RD, et al. Prospective evaluation of pain and analgesic use following major elective intracranial surgery. J Neurosurg. 2007;106(2):210–6. https://doi.org/10.3171/jns.2007.106.2.210.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. de Gray LC, Matta BF. Acute and chronic pain following craniotomy: a review. Anaesthesia. 2005;60(7):693–704. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2044.2005.03997.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Flexman AM, Ng JL, Gelb AW. Acute and chronic pain following craniotomy. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2010;23(5):551–7. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACO.0b013e32833e15b9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Papangelou A, Radzik BR, Smith T, Gottschalk A. A review of scalp blockade for cranial surgery. J Clin Anesth. 2013;25(2):150–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinane.2012.06.024.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Geze S, Yilmaz AA, Tuzuner F. The effect of scalp block and local infiltration on the haemodynamic and stress response to skull-pin placement for craniotomy. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2009;26(4):298–303. https://doi.org/10.1097/EJA.0b013e32831aedb2.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Yang X, Ma J, Li K, et al. A comparison of effects of scalp nerve block and local anesthetic infiltration on inflammatory response, hemodynamic response, and postoperative pain in patients undergoing craniotomy for cerebral aneurysms: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Anesthesiol. 2019;19(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12871-019-0760-4.

  13. Guilfoyle MR, Helmy A, Duane D, Hutchinson PJA. Regional scalp block for postcraniotomy analgesia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Anesth Analg. 2013;116(5):1093–102. https://doi.org/10.1213/ANE.0b013e3182863c22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Rigamonti A, Garavaglia MM, Ma K, et al. Effect of bilateral scalp nerve blocks on postoperative pain and discharge times in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy and general anesthesia: a randomized-controlled trial. Can J Anesth. 2020;67(4):452–61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12630-019-01558-7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Ban VS, Bhoja R, McDonagh DL. Multimodal analgesia for craniotomy. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2019;32(5):592–9. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACO.0000000000000766.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Galvin IM, Levy R, Day AG, Gilron I. Pharmacological interventions for the prevention of acute postoperative pain in adults following brain surgery. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;(11) https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011931.pub2.

  17. Jian M, Li X, Wang A, Zhang L, Han R, Gelb AW. Flurbiprofen and hypertension but not hydroxyethyl starch are associated with post-craniotomy intracranial haematoma requiring surgery. BJA. 2014;113(5):832–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/bja/aeu185.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Akcil EF, Korkmaz Dilmen O, Ertem Vehid H, Yentur E, Tunali Y. The role of “integrated pulmonary index” monitoring during morphine-based intravenous patient-controlled analgesia administration following supratentorial craniotomies: a prospective, randomized, double-blind controlled study. Curr Med Res Opin. 2018;34(11):2009–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/03007995.2018.1501352.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Gerges MM, Godil SS, Younus I, Rezk M, Schwartz TH. Endoscopic transorbital approach to the infratemporal fossa and parapharyngeal space: a cadaveric study. J Neurosurg. 2019:1–12. https://doi.org/10.3171/2019.7.jns191743.

  20. Svider PF, Arianpour K, Guo E, et al. Opioid prescribing patterns among otolaryngologists: crucial insights among the medicare population. Laryngoscope. 2018;128(7):1576–81. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.27101.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Scott Jellish W, Leonetti J, Marzo S, Anderson D. Perioperative pain management in patients undergoing skull base tumor resection. Skull Base Surgery. 2007;16(S 1):A026. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-958293.

  22. Gao H, Liu C, Zhang Y. Neuro-endoscope for skull base tumors. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2018;170:102–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clineuro.2018.05.009.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Flynn BC, Nemergut EC. Postoperative nausea and vomiting and pain after transsphenoidal surgery: a review of 877 patients. Anesth Analg. 2006;103(1):162–7. https://doi.org/10.1213/01.ane.0000221185.08155.80.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Dunn LK, Nemergut EC. Anesthesia for transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2013;26(5):549–54. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.aco.0000432521.01339.ab.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Nguyen BK, Yuhan BT, Folbe E, et al. Perioperative analgesia for patients undergoing Septoplasty and Rhinoplasty: an evidence-based review. Laryngoscope. 2019;129(6):E200–12. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.27616.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Svider PF, Nguyen B, Yuhan B, Zuliani G, Eloy JA, Folbe AJ. Perioperative analgesia for patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery: an evidence-based review. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2018;8(7):837–49. https://doi.org/10.1002/alr.22107.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Campbell HT, Yuhan BT, Smith B, et al. Perioperative analgesia for patients undergoing otologic surgery: an evidence-based review. Laryngoscope. 2020;130(1):190–9. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.27872.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Suresh S, Barcelona SL, Young NM, Seligman I, Heffner CL, Coté CJ. Postoperative pain relief in children undergoing tympanomastoid surgery: is a regional block better than opioids? Anesth Analg. 2002;94(4):859–62. https://doi.org/10.1097/00000539-200204000-00015.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Suresh S, Barcelona SL, Young NM, Heffner CL, Coté CJ. Does a preemptive block of the great auricular nerve improve postoperative analgesia in children undergoing Tympanomastoid surgery? Anesth Analg. 2004;98(2):330–3. https://doi.org/10.1213/01.ANE.0000097171.73374.AD.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Chiu AS, Healy JM, DeWane MP, Longo WE, Yoo PS. Trainees as agents of change in the opioid epidemic: optimizing the opioid prescription practices of surgical residents. J Surg Educ. 2018;75(1):65–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsurg.2017.06.020.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Davis CS, Carr D. Physician continuing education to reduce opioid misuse, abuse, and overdose: many opportunities, few requirements. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2016;163:100–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.04.002.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Khashayar Arianpour .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Arianpour, K., Allen, M., Ashman, P., Folbe, A.J. (2021). Perioperative Analgesia in Cranial and Skull Base Surgery. In: Svider, P.F., Pashkova, A.A., Johnson, A.P. (eds) Perioperative Pain Control: Tools for Surgeons. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56081-2_13

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56081-2_13

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-56080-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-56081-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics