Are There Racial Disparities in Perioperative Pain? A Retrospective Study of a Gynecological Surgery Cohort

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether racial disparities exist in immediate postoperative pain scores and intraoperative analgesic regimens in a single surgical cohort.

Design: A single-center, retrospective analysis.

Methods: This retrospective study of a single surgical cohort was conducted via chart review of the existing electronic health record. A total of 203 patients who underwent minimally invasive hysterectomy were included in the analysis. Three initially reviewed patient records were excluded from the final analysis due to the small size of their racial cohorts (two Asian or Pacific Islander and one Native American). The White patients (n = 103) and Black patients (n = 100) were compared for differences in pain scores in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). The patients' intraoperative analgesic regimens were also compared.

Findings: There were no significant differences between races in the postoperative pain scores in the PACU or in the analgesia administered by the anesthesia provider intraoperatively.

Conclusions: In this specific population, there was no evidence of racial disparities in postoperative pain or intraoperative analgesia administration. Further research is needed to understand the unique factors of the perioperative period, to see if the absence of disparities in this study is repeated in other cohorts, and to mitigate any disparities that are found.