Postoperative Pain and Opioid Use Following Lower-Limb Escharectomy and Skin Grafting Under a Standardized Regional Anesthesia Protocol: A Retrospective Study

Life (Basel). 2026 Jan 26;16(2):202. doi: 10.3390/life16020202.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pain management in patients with severe burns remains one of the most complex challenges in perioperative care. Burn-related pain is multifactorial, resulting from tissue destruction, intense inflammation, surgical procedures, and repeated dressing changes. Opioids remain the cornerstone of analgesia; however, prolonged use is associated with tolerance, dependence, adverse effects, and prolonged hospitalization. Multimodal and opioid-sparing strategies, including regional anesthesia, may improve postoperative outcomes by enhancing analgesia while reducing systemic drug exposure. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a standardized regional anesthesia protocol in reducing postoperative pain and opioid requirements in burn patients undergoing lower-limb escharectomy and autologous skin grafting.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, single-center analysis of 25 adult patients with deep thermal burns of the lower limbs who underwent escharectomy and split-thickness skin grafting. All patients received a combined ultrasound-guided sciatic popliteal block and adductor canal block on both the burned limb and the donor site. Ropivacaine 0.375% with clonidine was administered without exceeding a total dose of 3.0 mg/kg. Postoperative pain was assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and opioid consumption was recorded as rescue doses in intravenous morphine equivalents. Secondary outcomes included perioperative complications and 30-day hospital readmission.

RESULTS: Regional anesthesia provided effective postoperative pain control. Thirty-two percent of patients reported no pain (NRS 0), 52% reported mild pain (NRS 1-3), and 16% reported moderate pain (NRS 4-6). No patient reported severe pain (NRS 7-10). Only four patients (16%) required rescue opioids. No perioperative complications or block-related adverse events occurred, and no patient required hospital readmission within 30 days.

CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, regional anesthesia was associated with satisfactory postoperative analgesia and minimal opioid requirements. By reducing opioid exposure, this approach may help improve patient comfort and potentially limit opioid-related adverse effects. Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and to assess long-term outcomes.

PMID:41752840 | DOI:10.3390/life16020202