Fewer opioids consumed when patient education occurred prior to arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery

SAN DIEGO — Results of a prospective, randomized study presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons showed adults scheduled for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery who viewed a 2-minute video and received educational materials about opioid use took fewer opioids postoperatively than a control group who received the standard operative protocol.

“We found that preoperative education led to decreased narcotic consumption at 3 months following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. There is also some evidence to suggest it also results in early cessation of opioids,” Usman Ali M. Syed, BS, said during his presentation.

Usman Ali M. Syed

Patients in both groups received the same standard preoperative and postoperative protocol. Syed said there were no demographic differences between the 74 patients randomized into the study group and the 66 patients who were randomized to the control group.

“Regarding narcotic consumption, the study group on average consumed 34% and 41% fewer narcotics at the 6-week and 3-month follow-up, respectively, and this was statistically significant,” he said. “The study group also reported on average lower VAS pain scores at the 2-week and 6-week follow-up. This was also statistically significant and greater than the minimal clinically important difference.”

The investigators also found a higher odds of stopping opioid use after 2 weeks and again after 6 weeks of follow-up in the study group, according to Syed.

“Education had an even greater impact on patients who took narcotics before surgery, with an odds ratio of 6.8,” he said. – by Susan M. Rapp

Reference:

Abboud JA, et al. Paper #286. Presented at: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting; March 14-18, 2017; San Diego.

Disclosure: Syed reports no relevant financial disclosures.