A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Intravenous Acetaminophen on Hospital Length of Stay in Obese Individuals Undergoing Sleeve Gastrectomy.

TitleA Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Intravenous Acetaminophen on Hospital Length of Stay in Obese Individuals Undergoing Sleeve Gastrectomy.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2018
AuthorsCooke FE, Samuels JD, Pomp A, Gadalla F, Wu X, Afaneh C, Dakin GF, Goldstein PA
JournalObes Surg
Date Published2018 Jun 09
ISSN1708-0428
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Retrospective studies indicate that acetaminophen iv administration reduces hospital length of stay (LoS) and opiate consumption in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to determine whether using acetaminophen iv in morbidly obese subjects undergoing sleeve gastrectomy decreased LoS and total hospital charges as compared to patients receiving saline placebo.

SETTING: Single-center university hospital METHODS: Using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, subjects were assigned to receive either acetaminophen iv (group A) or saline placebo iv (group P). Data were collected between Jan 1 and Dec 31, 2016. Group A received acetaminophen every 6 h for a total of four doses. The first dose was administered following the induction of general anesthesia; group P received saline iv on the same schedule. Anesthetic management and prophylactic antiemetic regimen were standardized in all subjects. Postoperative pain management consisted of hydromorphone via patient-controlled infusion pump. Primary outcomes include hospital LoS and associated hospital costs. Secondary outcomes include patient satisfaction and postoperative nausea and pain scores.

RESULTS: Subject demographics (n = 127) and intraoperative management were similar in the two groups. Across all subjects, median hospital LoS in group A (n = 63) was 1.87 vs. 1.97 days in group P (n = 64) (p = 0.03, Wilcoxon rank-sum test). Postoperatively, daily quality-of-recovery (QoR-15) scores, narcotic consumption, and the use of rescue antiemetics were not significantly different between groups. Median hospital costs were as follows: group A, $12,885 vs. group P, $12,977 (n = 64).

CONCLUSIONS: Acetaminophen iv may reduce hospital LoS in subjects undergoing sleeve gastrectomy.

DOI10.1007/s11695-018-3316-7
Alternate JournalObes Surg
PubMed ID29948869