EP 117: Transforming Cardiac Surgery Recovery: Evidence-Based Insights with Dr Gerdisch

This week on Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra welcomes Dr Marc Gerdisch to discuss a groundbreaking study on reducing opioid use after cardiac surgery. Dr Marc Gerdisch is the Chief of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery and Co-Director of the Heart Valve Center and Atrial Fibrillation Program at Franciscan St. Francis Health. He is a senior partner at Cardiac Surgery Associates and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. Dr Gerdisch shares insights into his research on rigid sternal fixation and enhanced recovery protocols, which have shown promising results in postoperative pain management and patient recovery. In this episode, Dr Kalra and Dr Gerdisch discuss the specifics of the study, including the four-cohort design and the steps taken to expedite opioid-free recovery. Dr Gerdisch also shares valuable advice on overcoming physician inertia and building a strong case for implementing such a programme, including cost-benefit analysis considerations. What motivated the study? How can a holistic approach to cardiac surgery recovery be implemented? What advice does Dr Gerdisch have for our listeners? Sources: Gerdisch MW, et al. Ann Thorax Surg 2024. Rigid Sternal Fixation and Enhanced Recovery for Opioid-Free Analgesia After Cardiac Surgery. DOI: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2024.06.032 CE Cox. TCTMD 2024. Holistic Approach to Cardiac Surgery Can Sharply Cut Opioid Use. Available at: https://www.tctmd.com/news/holistic-approach-cardiac-surgery-can-sharply-cut-opioid-use. Accessed August 12, 2024.