Papers of the Week

With the widespread growth of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), the number and diversity of operations performed in the outpatient setting continue to increase. In parallel, there is an increase in the proportion of patients with a history of chronic opioid use and misuse undergoing elective surgery. Patients with such opioid tolerance present a unique challenge in the ambulatory setting, given their increased requirement for postoperative opioids. Guidelines for managing perioperative pain, anticipating postoperative opioid requirements and a discharge plan to wean off of opioids, are therefore needed.