Health study looks at CBD in lieu of opioids post-surgery

Could a component of cannabis end the risk of using opioid painkillers following surgery, and perhaps even provide a solution to chronic pain?

Henry Ford Health and University of Michigan hospitals have launched a study on whether administering cannabidiol or CBD, a non-intoxicating component of cannabis, could reduce the need for opioids following knee replacement procedures.

Patients from University of Michigan Henry Ford hospitals in West Bloomfield Township and Detroit, as well as several ambulatory facilities in Oakland County, will participate

It’s the largest clinical trial yet to determine whether administering CBD before and after surgery can reduce the need for opioids.

“The risks of opioids are well known,” said Dr. Lara Zador, an anesthesiologist, co-investigator on the study and director of the Multidisciplinary Pain Clinic at Henry Ford

Health.

She cited the risk of dependence, even when opioids are prescribed for a short time.

The study will seek 380 knee replacement patients, ages 18-80. It will look at whether CBD can reduce pain, anxiety and inflammation.

It could have implications for other kinds of surgery and even for people with chronic conditions such as back pain or joint pain, Zador said.

“Chronic pain is one of the most common conditions in the United States,” she said.

She called the study “an additional step forward in exploring pain management strategies.”

Using several methods, the study will measure the effectiveness of CBD in each surgery patient over six months. In total, the survey will run for more than four years.

The study, which began in late March, will be looking for negative impacts of CBD as well, Zador said.

Anyone who wants to volunteer should talk to their surgeon, she said.