Pain management for liver transplant recipients

Liver transplant recipients pose several pain management challenges. Altered hepatic drug metabolism and clearance in end-stage liver disease patients complicates the use of certain medications, while existing coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia can limit the use of regional anesthetic techniques. Largely due to a high prevalence of substance use disorders, these patients have increased vulnerability to opioid misuse in the perioperative period, which can make acute postoperative pain difficult to control and potentiates prolonged and painful recovery, increasing the risk of developing chronic postsurgical pain. We present current evidence-based literature that reviews optimal pain management strategies for this challenging patient demographic.

Multiple studies have shown that thoracic epidurals provide superior pain control in open hepatic resections. Recent data suggests thoracic epidurals may be safely considered in select liver transplant recipients with normal preoperative coagulation status; however, this evidence is limited, and further studies are needed. When the risks of coagulopathy prohibit epidural placement, truncal blocks such as transversus abdominis plane blocks or quadratus lumborum blocks and abdominal wound catheters can serve as alternative regional modalities. Specialized teams should manage pain using a multimodal approach.

Thoracic epidural analgesia may be an option for liver transplant recipients with normal coagulation profiles prior to surgery; however, additional studies are warranted. Other regional techniques are also available. Emphasis should be placed on optimizing multimodal pain medication management. Nonpharmacological interventions should also be considered.