A one-day acceptance and commitment therapy workshop for the prevention of chronic post-surgical pain and long-term opioid use following spine surgery: Protocol for a pilot feasibility randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

Background: Back pain is increasingly common, leading to more spine surgeries. While most people experience pain relief and improved function after surgery, many continue to suffer from chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP) with limited functional improvement. CPSP is often treated with opioids, raising concerns about misuse, poor functional outcomes, and broader public health impacts. Therefore, perioperative interventions are needed to enhance outcomes and reduce the risk of opioid misuse after surgery.

Objective: This article outlines a study protocol evaluating the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a brief, perioperative Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention aimed at improving pain and reducing opioid use after spine surgery.

Design: In this pilot randomized controlled trial, participants scheduled for spine surgery (anticipated N = 100) are assigned to the ACT intervention or a treatment-as-usual group.

Intervention: The ACT intervention is a 5-h, single-session, virtual workshop with a booster call two weeks post-workshop or post-surgery, whichever is later.

Outcome measures: The primary outcome is patient-reported treatment helpfulness immediately after the intervention. Secondary outcomes include patient-reported treatment credibility and expectancy post-intervention, treatment helpfulness at 1 month post-surgery, and pain interference, pain intensity and opioid use at 1, 3, and 6 months post-surgery.

Conclusion: This pilot trial examines a novel, brief ACT intervention aimed at preventing CPSP and reducing opioid dependence. If successful, feasibility and preliminary efficacy results will be utilized to inform a future, full-scale randomized trial of this intervention.