Recent Publications by CFE Educators

BACKGROUND

As the opioid epidemic accelerates in the United States, numerous sociodemographic factors have been implicated its development and are, furthermore, a driving factor of the disparities in postoperative pain management. Recent studies have suggested potential associations between the influence of race and ethnicity on pain perception but also the presence of unconscious biases in the treatment of pain in minority patients.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the perioperative opioid requirements across racial groups after spine surgery.

METHODS

A retrospective, observational study of 1944 opioid-naive adult patients undergoing a neurosurgical spine procedure, from June 2012 to December 2019, was performed at a large, quaternary care institute. Postoperative inpatient and outpatient opioid usage was measured by oral morphine equivalents, across various racial groups.

RESULTS

Case characteristics were similar between racial groups. In the postoperative period, White patients had shorter lengths of stay compared with Black and Asian patients ( P .05). Asian patients used lower postoperative inpatient opioid doses in comparison with White patients ( P .001). White patients were discharged with significantly higher doses of opioids compared with Black patients ( P .01); however, they were less likely to be readmitted within 30 days of discharge ( P .01).

CONCLUSION

In a large cohort of opioid-naive postoperative neurosurgical patients, this study demonstrates higher inpatient and outpatient postoperative opioid usage among White patients. Increasing physician awareness to the effect of race on inpatient and outpatient pain management would allow for a modified opioid prescribing practice that ensures limited yet effective opioid dosages void of implicit biases.

Three healthy adolescents presented with myocarditis confirmed on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging after receiving Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. All patients were hemodynamically stable and had good short-term outcomes. Long-term outcomes are yet to be determined. Larger studies are needed to determine whether an association between Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and myocarditis exists.

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common cause of secondary hypertension but is frequently underrecognized and undertreated. Patients with PA are at a markedly increased risk for target organ damage to the heart and kidneys. While patients with unilateral PA can be treated surgically, many patients with PA are not eligible or willing to undergo surgery. Steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) are highly effective for treating PA and reducing the risk of target organ damage. However, steroidal MRAs are often underprescribed and can be poorly tolerated by some patients due to side effects. Nonsteroidal MRAs reduce adverse renal and cardiovascular outcomes among patients with diabetic kidney disease and are bettertolerated than steroidal MRAs. While their blood pressure-lowering effects remain unclear, these agents may have a potential role in reducing target organ damage in patients with PA.

PURPOSE

To describe a case of incomitant divergence insufficiency esotropia in the setting of Machado-Joseph disease (spinocerebellar ataxia type 3) that recurred completely within one week after augmented bilateral medial rectus recession.

OBSERVATIONS

A 53-year-old female with a history of Machado-Joseph disease presented with horizontal diplopia primarily at distance consistent with divergence insufficiency esotropia. Augmented bilateral medial rectus recessions were performed which initially produced orthotropia, but recurrence of the esodeviation to the full preoperative amount occurred by post-operative week one. The patient subsequently underwent bilateral lateral rectus resections with excellent result.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE

Divergence insufficiency is common in the spinocerebellar ataxia variants and is thought to be secondary to atrophy of brainstem structures involved in the control of ocular vergence. Strabismus surgery in these patients may be complicated by limited response or even rapid regression despite augmented surgery as suggested for divergence insufficiency in the setting of neurologic disease. Patients should be counseled on these risks as well as the potential for multiple procedures in order to achieve surgical success.