Inappropriate Pain Management After Surgery a Major Cause of Opioid Crisis

Targets to eliminate pain after surgery are a major cause of the opioid crisis in several countries, according to a new report co-authored by Professor Lesley Colvin of the University of Dundee. Published in The Lancet, the report brings together global evidence detailing the role of surgery in the opioid crisis. The authors conclude that pain management has been a substantial contributor to the crisis due to inappropriate prescribing of opioids.

Chronic post-surgical pain is a growing problem as the population ages and more operations are carried out. It can occur after any type of surgery. Each year, 320 million people had surgery, and chronic pain occurs in 10% of cases.

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