Patient‐reported outcomes, postoperative pain and pain relief after day‐case surgery ( POPPY ): short‐term peri‐operative analgesic use
Authors' conclusion
Most patients were satisfied with pain relief after surgery but a large proportion were still taking opioid medications on day 7.
Study context
- Population
- Adults undergoing day-case surgery in the UKrecruited
- Participants
- 7,839 adults
- Outcome
- Pre-operative and early postoperative analgesia, prescribing practices, analgesic use, patient satisfaction with pain relief and need for further healthcare support for pain management
- Follow-up
- First 7 days following surgery
Methodological detailsnational
- National
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Analgesic use, satisfaction and help-seeking · first 7 days
- Taking opioid analgesics pre-operatively
- 1985 (25.3%)
- Of these, pain of more than 3 months duration
- 1366 (68.8%)
- Received opioid analgesics after surgery
- 3628 (46.4%)
- Taking opioid analgesics on day 7
- 1229 (25.9%)
- Prescribed opioids after surgery but never took them
- 474 (22.8%)
- Satisfied with analgesia
- 3876, 76.7%
- Sought further help for pain relief, most commonly from GP
- 922 (18.2%)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Outcomes in patients taking postoperative opioids
- Higher pain scores, lower satisfaction and quality of recovery scores, and higher rates of seeking help to manage pain after discharge
Original publication
Patient‐reported outcomes, postoperative pain and pain relief after day‐case surgery ( POPPY ): short‐term peri‐operative analgesic use. Anaesthesia. Published 29 March 2026. doi:10.
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