EFFECT OF PREOPERATIVE OPIOIDS ON RECOVERY OUTCOMES OF PATIENTS WHO UNDERWENT EMERGENCY GENERAL SURGERY PROCEDURES

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of preoperative opioids administration on recovery outcomes in patients undergoing emergent general surgeries. This retrospective study was done in the Pharmacology and Surgical Department of Rahbar Medical & Dental College, Lahore from March 2024 to March 2025. A total of 100 patients undergoing emergent general surgery were selected for the study. Postoperative parameters including severity of illness score, length of hospital stay and 30-day readmission rates were noted. Patients with active opioid prescription within a week before admission, opioid prescription at discharge and those with prescription renewals were identified.  Patients with consecutive 90 days opioid prescription after discharge were regarded as ones with chronic opioid use. Results showed that previous opioids users had significantly longer length of hospital stay of 11 days as compared to 5 days in opioids naïve patients (p<0.001). Preoperative narcotics users were also at two times more risk of readmission (22.3% vs 9.7%, p<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative opioids use was a significant risk factor of longer LOS (relative risk: 1.23 (95% CI: 0.99-1.38, p=0.042) and readmission (odds ratio: 2.75, 95% CI:1.31-5.80, p=0.009). It is concluded that preoperative exposure to opioids affects the postoperative readmission rates, length of hospital stays and frequency of refill prescriptions after emergency general surgery.