Methadone may reduce need for opioids after surgery
"This is a new application for an old pain medication that offers hope for reducing the development of acute pain in the first few days after surgery, as well as chronic postoperative pain and the need for opioid medications following discharge from the hospital," said Glenn S. Murphy, M.D., lead study author and physician anesthesiologist at NorthShore University Health System in Evanston, Illinois. "There is currently an opioid crisis in the United States, and intraoperative methadone offers promise as a drug that can reduce the need for these pain medications during recovery." Methadone is a unique long-acting opioid that is typically used to relieve severe pain in people who are in need of medication around the clock for extended periods of time, and in those who cannot be treated with other medications. It is also used to prevent withdrawal symptoms in patients addicted to opiate drugs, specifically heroin. "Appropriate pain control is essential for ...