LAUSR

In light of the current opioid crisis, there has been a movement to reduce opioid use in the perioperative period. Opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) is a practice that completely excludes the use of intraoperative systemic, neuraxial, or intracavitary opioids. A related but less restrictive technique is opioid-sparing anesthesia, where small amounts of opioids are used intraoperatively. Both opioid-free and opioid-sparing techniques have shown particular value in certain patient populations. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea and those undergoing bariatric surgery are at high risk for opioid-related respiratory complications in the postoperative period. Patients suffering from chronic postsurgical pain, complex regional pain syndrome, cancer-related pain, and other opioid-tolerant patients may also benefit from opioid-free and opioid-sparing anesthetic approaches.