The following is a summary of “Postsurgery Opiate Use Is Significantly Lower in Patients With Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome Following Cystectomy With Urinary Diversion,” published in the October 2023 issue of Urology by Sandberg, et al.

For a study, researchers sought to compare pre- and post-operative opiate use in a substantial cohort of patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) who underwent cystectomy with urinary diversion (CWUD).

A retrospective analysis was conducted using a database encompassing IC/BPS patients who underwent CWUD at a single institution from 2014 to 2022. Alongside demographic information, bladder capacity and Hunner lesion status were documented for each patient. Opiate use, measured in milligram morphine equivalents (MME), was calculated for each patient, and the change in MME (ΔMME) was determined by subtracting pre-CWUD MME from post-CWUD MME. Paired t-test and Pearson’s correlation were utilized for statistical comparisons.

The analysis involved 82 patients (17 M; 65 F) who underwent CWUD, distributed as 53 ileal conduit diversions, 11 neobladders, and 18 Indiana Pouches. The mean pre-CWUD MME use was 4509.57, and the mean post-CWUD MME was 1788.48, resulting in an ΔMME of −2721.09 (P < .001). ΔMME did not significantly differ based on gender (P = .597), bladder capacity (P = .754), age (P = .561), or Hunner lesion status (P = .085).

Patients with IC/BPS utilizing opiates primarily for pain relief related to their condition experienced a significant reduction in opiate use following CWUD, indicating substantial pain alleviation and suggesting the bladder as the primary source of pain.

Source: goldjournal.net/article/S0090-4295(23)00631-3/fulltext