Now an application can kill postoperative pain, reduce the need for painkillers

A new smartphone app that reduces pain scores and decreases the use of opioids after surgery

Patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty and used a smartphone application (PainCoach) at home after surgery consistently reduced their use of opioid badgesics and improved pain control. A new study presented at this year's Euroanaesthesia Congress (the annual meeting of the European Society of Anesthesiology) in Vienna, Austria, revealed the success of the application.

The long-term use of opioids can result in physical dependence and difficulty in discontinuing use. The misuse of prescription painkillers is a growing public health problem worldwide.

"These results are important given current health system requirements and the increasing misuse of prescription painkillers worldwide," said Dr. Amar Sheombar, author, of Kliniek ViaSana in the Netherlands.

The mobile app allows patients to grasp their pain level without pain, endurable pain, unbearable pain or unsustainable pain. Based on this information and the number of days after the surgery, the application offers advice on the use of pain relief, exercises and rest

The researchers randomly badigned 71 patients (aged 56 to 70 years) undergoing total knee arthroplasty for routine use and care (38 patients) or only for usual care (33) during the first two weeks. at home after surgery.

The mobile app allows patients to grasp their pain level without pain, endurable pain, unbearable pain or unsustainable pain. Based on this information and the number of days after the surgery, the application offers advice on the use of pain relief, exercises or rest.

The questionnaires were used to establish opiate consumption (oxycodone) and resting pain levels, during physical activity and at night, as well as for other painkillers. Participants completed questionnaires preoperatively, daily for the first two weeks and after one month.

Compared to the control group, PainCoach application users used 23% less opiates and 15% more paracetamol during the first 2 weeks after surgery.

Regular or active use of the application (at least 12 uses of the application for 2 weeks) has led to further reduction of opiate consumption and better control of the pain during activity and at night. Regular users of applications (19 patients) reported a fourfold faster reduction of pain during activity, a sixfold faster night reduction, and a 44% reduction of opiates and 76% gabapentin (taken to relieve nerve pain) compared to controls. The use of opiates has been replaced by a 21% increase in paracetamol use among regular users of the applications.