• Van Vu, William L Baker, Elizabeth M Tencza, Caroline Rochon, Patricia A Sheiner, and Spencer T Martin.
• 1 University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy, West Hartford, CT, USA.
• Ann Pharmacother. 2017 Jan 1; 51 (1): 21-26.

BackgroundPostoperative pain is a common complication of laparoscopic living-donor nephrectomies (LLDNs).ObjectiveTo determine whether intravenous (IV) acetaminophen administration post-LLDN influenced length of stay (LOS) when used for pain management.MethodsThis single-center, retrospective study compared patients undergoing LLDN who had received IV acetaminophen for pain control versus those who did not between June 1, 2011, and November 30, 2015. Patient LOS, 30-day readmissions, frequency of pain assessments, patient-reported pain scores, and opioid administration were assessed.ResultsA total of 90 patients were included in the analysis (IV acetaminophen, n = 48; non-IV acetaminophen, n = 42). Patients who did not receive IV acetaminophen were more often older (48.8 ± 12.1 vs 39.3 ± 12.1 years; P = 0.012) and female (71.4% vs 47.9%; P < 0.001). The average LOS was similar between the 2 groups (median = 3.0; interquartile range = [3, 4] vs 3.5 [3, 4]; P = 0.737). The 30-day readmissions were higher in the IV acetaminophen group (16.7%) compared with the group not receiving IV acetaminophen (2.4%; P = 0.033). After the first postoperative day, the frequencies of pain assessments performed were similar among the 2 groups. There was no difference in average pain scores between the groups at any time after LLDN.ConclusionsPatients receiving IV acetaminophen were found to have no improvements in hospital LOS, average pain score, or opioid requirements compared with patients not receiving IV acetaminophen. Patients who received IV acetaminophen were also found to have a higher 30-day readmission rate.

39 keywords...

hide…