Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the frequency of analgesic administration within 48 h after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) or its derivative techniques across different segments of the digestive tract, as well as the timing of the initial analgesic administration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective observational study was built upon previous research. The primary outcomes assessed were the time to initial analgesic administration postoperatively and the frequency of analgesic use within 48 h after ESD surgery. Additionally, factors influencing painkiller administration in ESD patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 2162 patients included in the study, 570 (26.36%) required postoperative analgesic medications. Most patients required their initial analgesic within 8 h following ESD, with the highest demand observed within 2 h. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that intraoperative administration of ketorolac reduced the likelihood of analgesic administration within 2 h postoperatively (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.35, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.15-0.79, p = 0.012). The time to first analgesic administration did not differ significantly among patients with varying surgical sites (H = 2.043, p = 0.843) or surgical methods (H = 8.647, p = 0.071). Similarly, no significant difference was observed in the frequency of analgesic use within 48 h across different surgical sites (H = 3.817, p = 0.576). However, patients who underwent endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE) surgery exhibited a lower frequency of analgesic use compared to those who underwent endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFR) surgery (p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: A subset of patients undergoing ESD exhibited a need for analgesics within the initial 48-hour postoperative period. Clinicians should carefully assess patients' pain needs and implement appropriate pain relief measures to improve postoperative outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry; ChiCTR2300072854.