4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0
L
ike many
Americans, my
life has been
radically altered by
the opioid crisis. More
than a decade ago, a
family member was
prescribed 50 pills of
OxyContin for a rela-
tively minor knee
injury. This was well
before the current epi-
demic raised aware-
ness of opioid misuse
and abuse. My loved
one was given (way!)
more opioids than she
needed, then manipu-
lated the system to
feed her ensuing
addiction. I'm an anes-
thesia provider and still didn't see the warning signs.
Thankfully, my family member is on the road to recovery, but the
emotional scars on us all remain. Statistics are compelling and
important to consider as we judge the scope of the opioid addiction
crisis and how to best address it, but don't lose sight of the fact that
each number represents a struggling patient and friends and family
On Point
Give Patients What They Need
The judicious use of opioids provides appropriate post-op pain control.
Jay Horowitz, CRNA
• TARGETED APPROACH The evolution of versatile and accurate nerve blocks has
contributed to opioid-sparing analgesic techniques.
