Appendix, Gallbladder and Surgical Emergencies · 25 March 2024

Overprescribing opioids for emergency surgery patients does not improve postoperative outcomes

Patients undergoing emergency surgery in Michigan were prescribed an average of 9.6 opioid pills, but only consumed 4.6 pills on average. Larger prescriptions were associated with higher consumption, but did not lead to reduced pain, higher satisfaction, improved quality of life, or less regret about undergoing surgery. These findings suggest that opioids may be excessively prescribed to emergency surgery patients, with no added benefit in terms of patient experience.

Journal Article by Rosenthal L, Gunaseelan V (…) Howard R et 3 al. in Ann Surg

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J Am Coll Surg5 Nov 2026

Waiting after pulmonary embolism cuts complications

Patients who needed emergency general surgery within 60 days of a pulmonary embolism had more major complications than those operated on later, in a national database study.

J Am Coll Surg5 Nov 2026

Waiting 60 days after pulmonary embolism before emergency surgery is linked to fewer complications.

Among 3,785 patients who had emergency general surgery after acute pulmonary embolism, those operated on at least 60 days later had markedly fewer major adverse events (adjusted OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.37–0.55).

Appendix, Gallbladder and Surgical Emergencies3 Nov 2026

Emergency surgery: lung complications raise death risk

After major emergency abdominal surgery, patients who develop lung complications face much higher death risk, most sharply in the first days.

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