Current Issues in the Use of Opioids for the Management of Postoperative Pain

Opioids remain a crucial part of many patients' journey from surgery to full recovery. The last few decades have shown that unfettered opioid use puts patients and societies at risk, so caution is needed to mitigate those dangers. Opioid stewardship provides a multilayered structure to allow continued safe use of opioids as part of broad pain management strategies for those patients who benefit from them most.