In a placebo-controlled, double-blinded, randomized trial, buccally absorbable Cannabidiol provided significantly better pain control and satisfaction post-surgery. Michael J Alaia et al. sought to assess the possible analgesic effects of buccally absorbed Cannabidiol in patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR). A total of 99 subjects (18 to 75 years of age) undergoing ARCR were enrolled and randomly segregated into the experimental and control groups.

For 14 days postsurgically, patients in the experimental group got an oral, buccally absorbed tablet consisting of 25 mg of Cannabidiol three times daily if less than 80 kg, or 50 mg of Cannabidiol three times daily if more than 80 kg, whereas patients in the control group were administered with an equivalent placebo. Patients were observed on days 1, 2, 7, and 14, and their pain ratings (visual analog scale [VAS]), opioid usage, and satisfaction with pain control were recorded.

On days 7 and 14, liver function tests were performed to check safety and monitor nausea. The patient demographics did not vary substantially between both groups. Contrasted to the control group, the VAS pain score was substantially lower in the Cannabidiol group on day 1, but this difference disappeared on day 2. Patient satisfaction with pain management was considerably greater in the Cannabidiol group compared to the control group on both days 1 and 2, as shown in Table 1:

Both groups used fewer opioids, and there were no statistically significant variations in opioid intake. No clinically meaningful changes between the Cannabidiol and control groups in VAS scores, opioid intake, or patient satisfaction with pain control were observed on days 7 and 14. There were no profound variations in postoperative liver function test findings. When compared to the control, buccally absorbed Cannabidiol was promising for alleviating pain in the immediate perioperative period following ARCR and displayed an acceptable safety profile.