Case Series of Successful Postoperative Pain Management in Buprenorphine Maintenance Therapy Patients

Abstract

Buprenorphine maintenance therapy patients frequently have severe postoperative pain due to buprenorphine-induced hyperalgesia and provider use of opioids with limited efficacy in the presence of buprenorphine. The authors report good-to-excellent pain management in 4 obstetric patients using nonopioid analgesics, regional anesthesia, continuation of buprenorphine, and use of opioids with high μ receptor affinity.