Second shot of numbing medicine could help pancreatic cancer patients avoid opioid addiction

This study tested whether giving a second anesthetic nerve block a few days after pancreatic cancer surgery helps patients manage pain with fewer opioid painkillers. Researchers compared patients who received the standard single nerve block before surgery to those who got a second block after surgery. The goal was to see if the extra block helped more patients go home from the hospital without needing an opioid prescription, which could lower the risk of long-term dependence.