Cannabidiol Oil No Benefit After Ureteroscopy With Stent Placement

TUESDAY, April 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Cannabidiol (CBD) oil is safe but not effective for pain control or reducing opioid use in patients undergoing ureteroscopy with stent placement for urinary stone disease, according to a study published in the April issue of The Journal of Urology.

Gopal Narang, M.D., from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and colleagues examined the effect of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved CBD oil (Epidiolex) on pain control and opioid use after ureteroscopy in a prospective double-blind trial. In total, 90 patients (median age, 64 years; 61 percent female) undergoing ureteroscopy with stent placement for urinary stone disease were randomly assigned to placebo or 20 mg CBD oil for three days postoperatively in a 1:1 ratio.

The researchers found that the groups did not differ in pain scores or opioid usage postoperatively. When comparing physical activity, sleep, urination, and activities of daily life, the level of discomfort with ureteral stents was also not different between the groups. The groups did not differ in preoperative or perioperative characteristics.

"Postoperative CBD was safe but ineffective when compared to placebo in minimizing postureteroscopy stent discomfort or opioid usage," the authors write. "Despite the availability of numerous analgesic agents, stent-related symptoms and bother continue to be a factor in patient care. Further translational research into the presence of endocannabinoid receptors in the ureter and studies evaluating CBD oil with dose escalation could help to better understand the role of CBD oil in the postureteroscopy setting."

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text