Regional anaesthesia may cut post
A systematic review of 158 trials indicates that regional anaesthesia significantly reduces the risk of chronic post-surgical pain for up to 12 months. The study highlights particular benefits for patients undergoing mastectomy, thoracotomy, and knee arthroplasty.
Why it matters
This finding could lead to changes in standard surgical protocols to improve long-term patient outcomes and reduce reliance on long-term opioid use.
Researchers from Glasgow, who reviewed more than 100 trials, found that patients given regional anaesthesia had a reduced risk for chronic post-surgical pain for up to 12 months, especially after undergoing breast, knee and thoracic procedures, reports Medscape .
The team, led by Martin Taylor-Rowan of the University of Glasgow , had conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials to assess whether regional anaesthesia reduced the risk for the long-term use of opioids or the incidence of chronic post-surgical pain.
They included 158 trials published between 2000 and 2025 involving 18 794 adults (mean age 55) who underwent surgeries like mastectomy, thoracotomy, and joint replacement.
Primary outcomes were the incidence of chronic post-surgical pain and long-term use of opioids, defined as at least three months after surgery, with follow-up up to two years.
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