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Study: Surgeons prescribed more opioids than required to patients for upper extremity surgery
Following upper extremity procedures, investigators found patients were administered three-times more opioids than needed, according to recently published data.
Researchers prospectively evaluated 1,416 patients who underwent outpatient upper extremity surgical procedures during a consecutive period of 6 months. Investigators collected data which included patient demographics, surgical details, anesthesia type, and opioid prescription and patterns of consumption.
Results showed a mean total of 24 pills were prescribed by surgeons. Investigators noted patients said they consumed a mean total of 8.1 pills, or a 34% rate of utilization. Fewer opioids were needed for patients who underwent soft-tissue procedures vs. those who underwent either surgical procedures for fractures or joints.
A mean of 7.5 pills for 3.1 days was needed for patients who underwent wrist surgical procedures, while a mean of 7.7 pills for 2.9 days was needed for patients who underwent hand surgical procedures. The reported opioid consumption significantly correlated with the procedure type, anatomic location, anesthesia type, patient age and type of insurance.
“[The] pattern of prescribing high volumes of opioid pills is a common practice among orthopedic surgeons,” the authors wrote. “Overprescribing delivers excess opioids to the community, leaving them vulnerable to potential diversion or abuse. To avoid overprescribing opioids and to limit potential abuse, surgeons should consider the patient’s preoperative opioid experience and should establish prescribing standards on a case-by-case basis depending on the nature and location of the surgical procedure, the type of anesthesia and the age of the patient.” ‒ by Monica Jaramillo
Disclosures: Kim reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.