Why — and how — surgeons are ditching opioids in the OR

<p>Recovering from surgery can be difficult —  and opioids actually make it tougher. In addition to side effects such as nausea, lethargy and potential breathing problems, this potent painkiller also carries the risk of addiction for about 3 to 4 percent of surgical patients. That number climbs to about 8 percent for bariatric surgery patients because they may also be battling joint pain stemming from their weight issues.</p> <p>On this episode of the podcast, two bariatric surgeons share how they are limiting, and in some cases even eliminating all together, the use of opioids during a patient's stay in the hospital and after discharge through their "enhanced recovery" initiative. They are:</p> <ul type="disc"><li><a href='https://www.northwell.edu/find-care/find-a-doctor/surgery/dr-dominick-gadaleta-md-11308420'>Dominick Gadaleta, MD</a>, chair of surgery, South Shore University Hospital</li> <li><a href='https://www.northwell.edu/find-care/find-a-doctor/surgery/dr-david-miller-pechman-md-11382170'>David Pechman, MD</a>, bariatric surgeon, South Shore University Hospital</li> </ul> <p>And they’re joined by an expert in substance use disorder:</p> <ul type="disc"><li><a href='https://www.northwell.edu/sandeep-kapoor-md'>Sandeep Kapoor, MD</a>, assistant vice president of Addiction Services.</li> </ul>