Eugene R. Viscusi, MD
Anesthesiologists should not shy away from playing an active role in ensuring that patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) and acute pain initiate buprenorphine treatment before leaving the hospital after surgery, according to recommendations recently published in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine (2021;46[10]:840-859).
The recommendations are the result of a joint venture of multiple societies, led by the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine