The effect of preoperative interventions on postoperative outcomes following elective hand surgery: A systematic review.

Abstract

Background: Hand surgery is commonly required for conditions like Dupuytren's disease, carpal tunnel syndrome, and carpometacarpal osteoarthritis. Hand experts agree that patient education and managing expectations can optimise surgical outcomes. With an aging population, and rising rates of diabetes and obesity, a significant increase in elective hand surgeries is anticipated over the next decade.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of preoperative therapy interventions on improving postoperative outcomes following elective hand surgery.

Method: A systematic search of six databases accessed journals from January 2011 to April 2024. Included studies assessed postoperative outcomes following preoperative therapy intervention.

Results: Seven articles met the inclusion criteria: six randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and one retrospective cohort study. Five RCTs explored effects of opioid education on postoperative consumption, all reporting statistically significant differences in favour of the intervention, with one showing a decrease of 49.7 morphine equivalent units (95% CI: 11.9 to 87.5), representing a 34.7% decrease between intervention and control. All RCTs scored poorly for risk of bias with the exception of one which assessed the effects of a neuroscience pain education on postoperative pain, reporting a non-significant decrease of 7.7% favouring the control.

Conclusion: There is a lack of quality research assessing preoperative interventions and outcomes for hand surgery. There was some indication of favourable outcomes following preoperative opioid education; however, number of studies were small, the evidence quality was poor, and data were limited. Further research is required to address these gaps and identify the most effective preoperative interventions.