Effects of Nefopam on Postoperative Analgesia in Operating Room-Extubated Patients Undergoing Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis

In patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) with immediate postoperative extubation in the operating room (OR), rapid recovery of consciousness and spontaneous ventilation are essential, requiring effective analgesia without compromising respiratory function. This study evaluate...

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Main Authors: Min Suk Chae, Jin-Oh Jeong, Kyung Kwan Lee, Wonwoo Jeong, Young Wook Moon, Ji Young Min
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Life
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/4/662
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author Min Suk Chae
Jin-Oh Jeong
Kyung Kwan Lee
Wonwoo Jeong
Young Wook Moon
Ji Young Min
author_facet Min Suk Chae
Jin-Oh Jeong
Kyung Kwan Lee
Wonwoo Jeong
Young Wook Moon
Ji Young Min
author_sort Min Suk Chae
collection DOAJ
description In patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) with immediate postoperative extubation in the operating room (OR), rapid recovery of consciousness and spontaneous ventilation are essential, requiring effective analgesia without compromising respiratory function. This study evaluated whether intraoperative nefopam administration improves early postoperative pain control and reduces opioid consumption in this physiologically distinct population. A retrospective cohort of 376 adult LDLT recipients who met the criteria for OR extubation was analyzed. After propensity score matching, 182 patients who received intraoperative nefopam were compared with 182 matched controls. Pain intensity was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS), and total fentanyl consumption and opioid-related complications were recorded over the first 24 h postoperatively. Nefopam administration was associated with significantly lower VAS scores during the first 12 h after surgery (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and reduced 24 h fentanyl consumption (53.2 ± 20.8 mL vs. 58.6 ± 27.5 mL, <i>p</i> = 0.035). No serious adverse effects related to nefopam were observed. The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting did not differ significantly between the groups. These findings indicate that nefopam offers effective early analgesia and an opioid-sparing effect in LDLT recipients undergoing OR extubation, suggesting its clinical utility as a component of multimodal analgesia in this high-risk group. Although the reduction in opioid use did not translate into a decreased incidence of opioid-related complications, the favorable safety profile and analgesic efficacy of nefopam support further investigation through prospective trials to define its role in enhanced recovery protocols for OR-extubated LDLT recipients.
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spelling doaj-art-eed524585cb2436593d8eef89a4fc53e2025-08-20T02:17:59ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292025-04-0115466210.3390/life15040662Effects of Nefopam on Postoperative Analgesia in Operating Room-Extubated Patients Undergoing Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Propensity Score-Matched AnalysisMin Suk Chae0Jin-Oh Jeong1Kyung Kwan Lee2Wonwoo Jeong3Young Wook Moon4Ji Young Min5Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of KoreaWake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USAWake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USAWake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USAUS Research and Production Team, CGBIO USA, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USADepartment of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Eunpyeong St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 1021 Tongil-ro, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul 03312, Republic of KoreaIn patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) with immediate postoperative extubation in the operating room (OR), rapid recovery of consciousness and spontaneous ventilation are essential, requiring effective analgesia without compromising respiratory function. This study evaluated whether intraoperative nefopam administration improves early postoperative pain control and reduces opioid consumption in this physiologically distinct population. A retrospective cohort of 376 adult LDLT recipients who met the criteria for OR extubation was analyzed. After propensity score matching, 182 patients who received intraoperative nefopam were compared with 182 matched controls. Pain intensity was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS), and total fentanyl consumption and opioid-related complications were recorded over the first 24 h postoperatively. Nefopam administration was associated with significantly lower VAS scores during the first 12 h after surgery (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and reduced 24 h fentanyl consumption (53.2 ± 20.8 mL vs. 58.6 ± 27.5 mL, <i>p</i> = 0.035). No serious adverse effects related to nefopam were observed. The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting did not differ significantly between the groups. These findings indicate that nefopam offers effective early analgesia and an opioid-sparing effect in LDLT recipients undergoing OR extubation, suggesting its clinical utility as a component of multimodal analgesia in this high-risk group. Although the reduction in opioid use did not translate into a decreased incidence of opioid-related complications, the favorable safety profile and analgesic efficacy of nefopam support further investigation through prospective trials to define its role in enhanced recovery protocols for OR-extubated LDLT recipients.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/4/662enhanced recovery after surgeryliver transplantationnefopampainpostoperative analgesia
spellingShingle Min Suk Chae
Jin-Oh Jeong
Kyung Kwan Lee
Wonwoo Jeong
Young Wook Moon
Ji Young Min
Effects of Nefopam on Postoperative Analgesia in Operating Room-Extubated Patients Undergoing Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis
Life
enhanced recovery after surgery
liver transplantation
nefopam
pain
postoperative analgesia
title Effects of Nefopam on Postoperative Analgesia in Operating Room-Extubated Patients Undergoing Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis
title_full Effects of Nefopam on Postoperative Analgesia in Operating Room-Extubated Patients Undergoing Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis
title_fullStr Effects of Nefopam on Postoperative Analgesia in Operating Room-Extubated Patients Undergoing Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Nefopam on Postoperative Analgesia in Operating Room-Extubated Patients Undergoing Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis
title_short Effects of Nefopam on Postoperative Analgesia in Operating Room-Extubated Patients Undergoing Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis
title_sort effects of nefopam on postoperative analgesia in operating room extubated patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation a propensity score matched analysis
topic enhanced recovery after surgery
liver transplantation
nefopam
pain
postoperative analgesia
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/4/662
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