Introduction. Opioids are an integral part of pain management following total joint replacement procedures; however, to date, no evidence-based guidelines which regulate opioid prescribing practices exist. In order to determine an appropriate number of opioids required to control pain for post-arthroplasty patients, it is important to understand why patients are using them. We sought to identify the causes of pain which necessitated opioid consumption for patients following total knee (TKA) and total hip (THA) arthroplasty. Methods. The study cohort consisted of 55 patients (29 females, 26 males) who underwent either primary unilateral TKA (n=28) or THA (n=27). Prior to discharge, patients were provided with a pain diary in which to record details regarding the type of pain medication used, the time of use, pain score at the time of use, and the specific reason for use. Subjects returned the completed logs once they ceased opioid use post-operatively. Based on responses, we categorized reasons for use into either Activity, which was further classified into ADL and Exercise, or Rest, which was further classified into Sleeping, Sitting, and Laying Down. Average and frequency of opioid consumption was calculated for each category, along with the pain score at the time of use for each category. All dependent variables were compared between TKA and THA patients using separate independent samples t-tests or Chi-square tests. Results. Overall, 13 patients did not consume any opioids during the post-operative period, and data regarding the specific reason for opioid use were available for 33 patients (16 THA, 17 TKA). For THA patients, the most common reason for opioid consumption was Sleeping (47%), followed by Exercise (20%), Sitting (16%), ADL (10%), and Laying Down (7%). Conversely, TKA patients reported the most frequent opioid use for pain during Exercise (32%), Sitting (28%), ADL (14%), Sleeping (14%), and Laying Down (12%). The frequency of consumption was greater for THA patients during Sleeping (p<0.001), but reduced during Exercise (P<0.001) and Sitting (p<0.001) compared to TKA patients. The average number of opioid pills consumed during ADL (p=0.05) and Exercise (p=0.02) was greater for TKA patients compared to THA. Pain scores reported during Exercise (p=0.33) and Sleeping (p=0.08) were similar between groups; however, TKA patients reported higher pain scores during Resting (p=0.047). Conclusion. Our results demonstrate that the causes associated with opioid consumption following arthroplasty procedures differ between TKA and THA patients. Opioid use was most common at night during sleeping for THA patients, while TKA patients reported greater usage during the day while exercising or sitting. Our data can be used to counsel patients regarding pain expectations following TKA or THA and create standardized prescribing and tapering guidelines to effectively manage pain while limiting opioid use

The United States and Canada are in the midst of an epidemic of the use, misuse and overdose of opioids, and deaths related to overdose. This is the direct result of overstatement of the benefits and understatement of the risks of using opioids by advocates and pharmaceutical companies. Massive amounts of prescription opioids entered the community and were often diverted and misused. Most other parts of the world achieve comparable pain relief using fewer opioids. The misconceptions about opioids that created this epidemic are finding their way around the world. There is particular evidence of the increased prescription of strong opioids in Europe. Opioids are addictive and dangerous. Evidence is mounting that the best pain relief is obtained through resilience. Opioids are often prescribed when treatments to increase resilience would be more effective. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:856–64

Introduction

Despite the widespread use of opioids for pain control in post-operative joint arthroplasty patients, data regarding actual opioid consumption in opioid-naive patients during the recovery period are limited. We sought to determine postoperative opioid consumption for opioid-naïve patients undergoing total knee and hip arthroplasty (THA and TKA) procedures.

Pain management following surgery continues to challenge patients, physician-extenders, and surgeons. A recent survey of 300 patients following surgery found that 86% experienced pain following surgery with 75% describing moderate or severe pain. Pain management in 2017 has to better address patient's needs as Pain has become the “5th Vital Sign” and is used in many patient reported outcomes (for better or worse). Multimodal therapy has been defined as “Synchronous administration of ≥ 2 pharmacological agents or approaches, each with a distinct mechanism of action”.

Mounting evidence supports the use of a multimodal approach to peri-operative pain management in all surgical subspecialties. A recent systematic review of intravenous ketamine showed a reduction total opioid consumption and an increase in the time to first analgesic dose needed across all studies. Gabapentin and pregabalin have both been shown to dramatically reduce the use of opioid consumption by 30%. We have worked with our anesthesia team and developed a multimodal analgesia program that includes ketorolac 10mg 3 tabs po qd × 3 days, then 10mg 2 tabs po × 2 days; gabapentin 300mg (<65 year old) or 100mg (>65 year old) 3 tabs po × 3 days; oxycodone 5mg po q 4–6 hours prn breakthrough pain and Tylenol 500mg 1–2 tabs po q 6 hours prn.

Introduction and Objective

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a frequent disease for which therapeutic possibilities are limited. In current recommendations, the first-line analgesic is acetaminophen. However, low efficacy of acetaminophen, frequently leads to the use of weak opioids (WO) despite their poor tolerance, especially in elderly patients. The primary objective was to compare the analgesic efficacy and safety of a new wearable transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (W-TENS) to weak opioids (WO) in the treatment of moderate to severe, nociceptive, chronic pain in knee osteoarthritis patients.

The December 2024 Spine Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: Rostral facet joint violations in robotic- and navigation-assisted pedicle screw placement; The inhibitory effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids on spinal fusion: an animal model;L5-S1 transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion is associated with increased revisions compared to L4-L5 TLIF at two years; Immediate versus gradual brace weaning protocols in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a randomized clinical trial; Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an individualized, progressive walking, and education intervention for the prevention of low back pain recurrence in Australia (WalkBack): a randomized controlled trial; Usefulness and limitations of intraoperative pathological diagnosis using frozen sections for spinal cord tumours; Effect of preoperative HbA1c and blood glucose level on the surgical site infection after lumbar instrumentation surgery; How good are surgeons at achieving their alignment goals?

Aims

The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and bias evaluation of the current literature to create an overview of risk factors for re-revision following revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA).

Purpose:

To investigate treatment patterns and efficacy of postoperative strong opioids in patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in Korea

Aims

The aim of this study was to characterize the relationship between pre- and postoperative opioid use among patients undergoing common elective orthopaedic procedures

Ankle fractures are common orthopedic injuries, often requiring operative intervention to restore joint stability, improve alignment, and reduce the risk of post-traumatic ankle arthritis. However, ankle fracture surgeries (AFSs) are associated with significant postoperative pain, typically requiring postoperative opioid analgesics. In addition to putting patients at risk of opioid dependence, the adverse effects of opioids include nausea, vomiting, and altered mental status which may delay recovery. Peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs) offer notable benefits to the postoperative pain profile when compared to general or spinal anaesthesia alone and may help improve recovery. The primary objective of this quality improvement (QI) study was to increase PNB administration for AFS at our institution to above 50% by January 2021. A root cause analysis was performed by a multidisciplinary team to identify barriers for PNB administration. Four interventions were chosen & implemented: recruitment and training of expert anesthesiologists in regional anesthesia techniques, procurement of additional ultrasound machines, implementation of a dedicated block room with training to create an enhanced learning environment, and the development of an educational pamphlet for patients outlining strategies to manage rebound pain, instructions around the use of oral multimodal analgesia, and the potential for transient motor block of the leg. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients who received PNB for AFS. Secondary outcome measures included total hospitalization length of stay (LOS), post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and 24-hour postoperative opioid consumption (mean oral morphine equivalent [OME]), proportion of patients requiring opioid analgesic in PACU, and proportion of patients experiencing post-operative nausea and/or vomiting (PONV) requiring antiemetic in PACU. Thirty-day post-operative emergency department (ED) visits were collected as a balance measure. The groups receiving PNB and not receiving PNB included 78 & 157 patients, respectively, with no significant differences in age, gender, or ASA class between groups. PNB administration increased from less than 10% to 53% following implementation of the improvement bundle. Mean total hospital LOS did not vary significantly across the PNB and no PNB groups (1.04 days vs. 1.42 days, P = 0.410). Both mean PACU and mean 24-hour postoperative opioid analgesic consumption was significantly lower in the PNB group compared to the no PNB group (OME in PACU 38.96mg vs. 55.42mg [P = 0.001]; 24-hour OME 44.74mg vs. 37.71mg [P = .008]). A greater proportion of patients in the PNB group did not require any PACU opioid analgesics compared to those in the no PNB group (62.8% vs. 27.4%, P < 0.001). The proportion of patients experiencing PONV and requiring antiemetic both in the PACU did not vary significantly across groups. Thirty-day postoperative ED visits did not vary significantly across groups. By performing a root cause analysis and implementing a multidisciplinary, patient-centered QI bundle, we achieved significant increases in PNB administration for AFS. As a result, there were significant improvements in the recovery of patients following AFS, specifically reduced use of postoperative opioid analgesia. This multi-faceted approach provides a framework for an individualized QI approach to increase PNB administration and achieve improved patient outcomes following AFS

Orthopaedic surgeons prescribe more opioids than any other surgical speciality. Opioids remain the analgesic of choice following arthroscopic knee and shoulder surgery. There is growing evidence that opioid-sparing protocols may reduce postoperative opioid consumption while adequately addressing patients’ pain. However, there are a lack of prospective, comparative trials evaluating their effectiveness. The objective of the current randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to evaluate the efficacy of a multi-modal, opioid-sparing approach to postoperative pain management in patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgery. The NO PAin trial is a pragmatic, definitive RCT (NCT04566250) enrolling 200 adult patients undergoing outpatient shoulder or knee arthroscopy. Patients are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to an opioid-sparing group or standard of care. The opioid-sparing group receives a three-pronged prescription package consisting of 1) a non-opioid prescription: naproxen, acetaminophen and pantoprazole, 2) a limited opioid “rescue prescription” of hydromorphone, and 3) a patient education infographic. The control group is the current standard of care as per the treating surgeon, which consists of an opioid analgesic. The primary outcome of interest is oral morphine equivalent (OME) consumption up to 6 weeks postoperatively. The secondary outcomes are postoperative pain scores, patient satisfaction, quantity of OMEs prescribed and number of opioid refills. Patients are followed at both 2 and 6 weeks postoperatively. Data analysts and outcome assessors are blinded to the treatment groups. As of December 1, 2021 we have enrolled 166 patients, reaching 83% of target enrolment. Based on the current recruitment rate, we anticipate that enrolment will be completed by the end of January 2022 with final follow-up and study close out completed by March of 2022. The final results will be released at the Canadian Orthopaedic Association Meeting in June 2022 and be presented as follows. The mean difference in OME consumption was XX (95%CI: YY-YY, p=X). The mean difference in OMEs prescribed was XX (95%CI: YY-YY, p=X). The mean difference in Visual Analogue Pain Scores (VAS) and patient satisfaction are XX (95%CI: YY-YY, p=X). The absolute difference in opioid refills was XX (95%CI: YY-YY, p=X). The results of the current study will demonstrate whether an opioid sparing approach to postoperative outpatient pain management is effective at reducing opioid consumption while adequately addressing postoperative pain in patients undergoing outpatient shoulder and knee arthroscopy. This study is novel in the field of arthroscopic surgery, and its results will help to guide appropriate postoperative analgesic management following these widely performed procedures

Orthopaedic surgeons prescribe more opioids than any other surgical speciality. Opioids remain the analgesic of choice following arthroscopic knee and shoulder surgery. There is growing evidence that opioid-sparing protocols may reduce postoperative opioid consumption while adequately addressing patients’ pain. However, there are a lack of prospective, comparative trials evaluating their effectiveness. The objective of the current randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to evaluate the efficacy of a multi-modal, opioid-sparing approach to postoperative pain management in patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgery. The NO PAin trial is a pragmatic, definitive RCT (NCT04566250) enrolling 200 adult patients undergoing outpatient shoulder or knee arthroscopy. Patients are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to an opioid-sparing group or standard of care. The opioid-sparing group receives a three-pronged prescription package consisting of 1) a non-opioid prescription: naproxen, acetaminophen and pantoprazole, 2) a limited opioid “rescue prescription” of hydromorphone, and 3) a patient education infographic. The control group is the current standard of care as per the treating surgeon, which consists of an opioid analgesic. The primary outcome of interest is oral morphine equivalent (OME) consumption up to 6 weeks postoperatively. The secondary outcomes are postoperative pain scores, patient satisfaction, quantity of OMEs prescribed and number of opioid refills. Patients are followed at both 2 and 6 weeks postoperatively. Data analysts and outcome assessors are blinded to the treatment groups. As of December 1, 2021 we have enrolled 166 patients, reaching 83% of target enrolment. Based on the current recruitment rate, we anticipate that enrolment will be completed by the end of January 2022 with final follow-up and study close out completed by March of 2022. The final results will be released at the Canadian Orthopaedic Association Meeting in June 2022 and be presented as follows. The mean difference in OME consumption was XX (95%CI: YY-YY, p=X). The mean difference in OMEs prescribed was XX (95%CI: YY-YY, p=X). The mean difference in Visual Analogue Pain Scores (VAS) and patient satisfaction are XX (95%CI: YY-YY, p=X). The absolute difference in opioid refills was XX (95%CI: YY-YY, p=X). The results of the current study will demonstrate whether an opioid sparing approach to postoperative outpatient pain management is effective at reducing opioid consumption while adequately addressing postoperative pain in patients undergoing outpatient shoulder and knee arthroscopy. This study is novel in the field of arthroscopic surgery, and its results will help to guide appropriate postoperative analgesic management following these widely performed procedures

Hallux valgus surgery can result in moderate to severe post-operative pain requiring the use of narcotic medication. The percutaneous distal metatarsal osteotomy is a minimally invasive approach which offers many advantages including minimal scarring, immediate weight bearing and decreased post-operative pain. The goal of this study is to determine whether the use of narcotics can be eliminated using an approach combining multimodal analgesia, ankle block anesthesia and a minimally invasive surgical approach. Following ethics board approval, a total of 160 ambulatory patients between the ages of 18-70 with BMI ≤ 40 undergoing percutaneous hallux valgus surgery are to be recruited and randomized into Narcotic-free (NF) or Standard (S) groups. To date, 72 patients have been recruited (38 NF and 34 S). The NF group received acetaminophen, naproxen, pregabalin 75mg and 100mg Ralivia (tramadol extended release) before surgery and acetaminophen, naproxen, pregabalin 150mg one dose and Ralivia 100mg BID for five days, as well as a rescue narcotic (hydromorphone, 1mg pills) after surgery. The S group received acetaminophen and naproxen prior to surgery and acetaminophen, naproxen and hydromorphone (1mg pills) post-operatively, our current standard. Visual analog scales (VAS) were used to assess pain and narcotic consumption was recorded at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 hours and seven days post-operatively. Patients wore a smart watch to record the number of daily steps and sleep hours. A two-sided t-test was used to compare the VAS scores and narcotic consumption. During the first post-operative week, the NF group consumed in total an average of 6.5 pills while the S group consumed in total an average of 16 pills and this difference was statistically significant (p-value=0.001). Importantly, 19 patients (50%) in the NF group and four patients (12%) in the S group did not consume any narcotics post-operatively. For the VAS scores at 24, 48, 72 hours and seven days the NF group's average scores were 2.17, 3.17, 2.92, 2.06 respectively and the S group's average scores were 3.97, 4.2, 3.23, 1.97. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups at 24 and 48hours (the NF group scored lower on the VAS) with a p-value of 0.0008 and 0.04 respectively, but this difference is not considered clinically significant as the minimal clinically important difference reported in the literature is a two-point differential. The NF group walked an average of 1985.75 steps/day and slept an average of 8h01 minute/night, while the S group walked an average of 1898.26 steps/day and slept an average of 8h26 minutes/night in the first post-operative week. Hallux valgus remains a common orthopedic foot problem for which surgical treatment results in moderate to severe post-operative pain. This study demonstrates that with the use of multimodal analgesia, ultrasound guided ankle blocks and a percutaneous surgical technique, narcotic requirements decreased post-operatively. The use of long-acting tramadol further decreased the need for narcotic consumption. Despite decreased use of narcotics, this combined novel approach to hallux valgus surgery allows for early mobilization and excellent pain control

Purpose. Previous studies have demonstrated pronounced reduction of sleep quality following major surgery, which may affect postoperative pain and early recovery. This prospective, randomized, controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effect of zolpidem on sleep quality in fast-track total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods. 180 patients who underwent primary TKA were enrolled in this study and randomized 1:1 to receive either zolpidem (Group A) or placebo (Group B) for 6 days. VAS pain scores (rest, ambulation, flexion, and night), range of motion (ROM), opioid analgesics use, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and other complication, sleep efficacy and patients VAS satisfaction were recorded postoperatively and at 1, 3, 5 after surgery. Sleep quality was measured using the polysomnography (PSG) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Results. Sleep efficiency was decreased on all three postoperative nights but returned to pre-admission levels on the fifth postoperative night in Group A. Compared to Group B, Group A showed better sleep quality in early period. It was found that patients taking zolpidem showed greater improvement in quality of life, better patient VAS satisfaction, lower pain VAS score, and less opioid analgesics use. Conclusion. In conclusion, sleep quality is impaired after total knee arthroplasty and zolpidem could improve postoperative sleep or pain and be beneficial to patients' post-TKA early recovery

More than half of patients with neck of femur (NOF) fractures report their pain as severe to very severe in the first 24hrs. Opioids remain the most commonly used analgesia and are effective for static pain but not dynamic pain. Opioids provide suboptimal analgesia when patients are in a dynamic transition state and their side-effects are a source of morbidity in these patients. The Fascia Iliaca Compartment Block (FICB) involves infiltration of the fascia iliaca compartment with a large volume of low concentrated local anaesthetic to reduce pain by affecting the femoral and lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh. The London Quality Standards for Fractured neck of femur services (2013) stated that the FICB should be routinely offered to patients. We performed an audit of patient outcomes following the introduction of the FICB across three centres. We performed a two-cycle audit across two hospitals in 2014/15. The first cycle audited compliance with the NICE guidance in the management and documentation of pain and AMTS (Abbreviated Mental Test Scores) in patients. The second cycle was conducted following the integration of the FICB into the multidisciplinary NOF fracture protocol across three hospital sites. Data was collected on numeric pain scores, pre and post-op AMTS and opioid requirements. There were 40 patients audited with 20 in the first cycle prior to the introduction of the FICB and 20 following this. In the second cycle, there was a statistically significant improvement (p<0.001) in the difference between the pre and post-op AMTS. The preliminary findings in this audit support the use of the FICB adjunct to analgesia in the pre-operative management of NOF fracture patients. The FICB is a safe procedure and the organisational learning of this procedure through a multidisciplinary approach can significantly improve the outcomes of NOF fracture patients

Background. Narcotics are commonly prescribed for pain control of orthopedic trauma but injury pattern and severity, in addition to patient factors, result in varying dosing requirements. These factors, coupled with increasing pressure to reduce narcotic consumption, highlight the importance of narcotic stewardship and comprehension of patient factors leading to higher pain control demands. The purpose of this study is to understand whether or not narcotic consumption is greater in patients who present to the emergency department with positive drug screen (utox) for illicit substances. Methods. We performed a retrospective chart review of 300 consecutive trauma activations during the 2015 calendar year. Of the patient cohort, 226 patients received a utox screen which represents the cohort for this study. Utox screen included amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, ethanol, methadone, phencyclidine, and tetrahydrocannabinol. Opioids given hospital stay were converted to oral morphine equivalents using ratios available in the current literature. The average daily equivalent was calculated for their total hospital stay and recorded. Patient injury severity score (ISS), age, gender, length of stay, readmission rates were also recorded. Statistical comparisons were made using SPSS version 23 (IBM, Aramonk, NY). Data distributions were examined with the Shapiro-Wilk test of normality between group comparisons were made with Mann Whitney U tests. Chi squared test was used to evaluate categorical data. Significance was set at p=0.05. Results. There were 108 (48%) positive utox tests of the 226 that received a utox test. There was no difference in gender distribution or age between the 2 groups. The calculated morphine equivalent consumption of the positive utox patient cohort was compared against the negative utox group. The median daily oral morphine equivalents in the positive utox group was 23.85 versus 12.05 for those with a negative utox screen. This was found to be statistically significant with a p value of 0.014. The average length of stay for the positive utox group was 3 days versus 2 days for the negative utox group. This also was statistically significant with a p value of 0.009. There was no statistical significance for ISS (5 in utox positive versus 5 in utox negative patients) nor was there any significance found in the rate of readmissions. Discussion. Our study shows that infividuals found to have positive utox screening for illicit drug use require more opioids for pain control and have longer hospital stays. These increased resource requirements exist despite no statistically significant difference in ISS. The high rate of positive findings and differences in patient clinical course support continued utox screening in trauma activation patients. When treating these patients, physicians should be aware of potential differences in pain management strategies and would likely benefit from multimodal pain control progam

Despite the widespread success of total hip arthroplasty (THA), postoperative pain management remains a concern. Opioids have classically been administered for pain relief after THA, but their side effect profile, in addition to the cognizance of the growing opioid epidemic, has incited a shift toward alternative pain modalities. Although the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac is a promising addition, its impact on immediate THA outcomes has not previously been investigated. Thus, in the present study, we evaluate the effects of adjunctive diclofenac on: 1) postoperative pain intensity, 2) opioid consumption, 3) discharge destination, 4) length of stay, and 5) patient satisfaction in primary THA patients. A retrospective review was performed to identify all patients who underwent primary THA by a single surgeon between May 1 and September 31, 2017. Patients were stratified into a study group (n=25), who were treated with postoperative diclofenac in addition to the standard pain control regimen, and a control group (n=88), who did not receive adjunctive diclofenac. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA)/analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and chi-square/logistic regression analysis were used for continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Patients receiving adjunctive diclofenac were more likely to be discharged home than to inpatient facilities (O.R. 4.02, p=0.049). In addition, patient satisfaction with respect to how well and how often pain was controlled (p= 0.0436 and p=0.0217, respectively) was significantly greater in the diclofenac group. Finally, patients who received diclofenac had lower opioid consumption on postoperative days one and two (−67.2 and −129 mg, respectively, p=0.001 for both). The rapid growth of THA as an outpatient procedure has intensified the urgency of improving postoperative pain management. The present study demonstrates that THA patients receiving adjunctive diclofenac were more likely to be discharged home, had reduced opioid consumption, and experienced greater satisfaction. This will, in turn, decrease complications and total hospital costs, leading to a more cost-effective pain control regimen. In order to further investigate the optimal regimen, future studies comprising larger cohort, as well as a comparison of diclofenac to other NSAIDs, are warranted

Introduction. Analgesic drugs are often prescribed to patients with low back pain (LBP). Recommendations for non-invasive pharmacological management of LBP from recent clinical practice guidelines were compared with each other and with the best available evidence on drug efficacy. Methods. Guideline recommendations concerning opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), paracetamol, antidepressants, anticonvulsants and muscle relaxants from national primary care guidelines published within the last 3 years were included in this review. For each pharmacotherapy, the most recent systematic review was included as the best available evidence on drug efficacy and common adverse effects were summarized. Results. Eight recent national clinical practice guidelines were included in this review (from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, The Netherlands, UK and US). Guidelines are universally moving away from pharmacotherapy due to the limited efficacy and the risk of adverse effects. NSAIDs have replaced paracetamol as the first choice analgesics for LBP in many guidelines. Opioids are considered to be a last resort in all guidelines, but prescriptions of these medications have been increasing over recent years. Only limited evidence exists for the efficacy of antidepressants and anticonvulsants in chronic LBP. Muscle relaxants are one of the analgesics of first choice in the US, but aren't widely available and thus not widely recommended in most other countries. Conclusions. Upcoming guideline updates should shift their focus from pain to function and from pharmacotherapy to non-pharmacologic treatment options. No conflicts of interest. Sources of funding: This review has been supported by a program grant of the Dutch Arthritis Foundation

Introduction. Despite evidence-based recommendations opioids and benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed to treat osteoarthritis. This study aims to quantify the prevalence of opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions given for the primary diagnosis of osteoarthritis across a large healthcare system. Additionally, we aim to characterize risk factors for drug misuse, abuse, and diversion. Methods. We conducted a descriptive analysis of adult patient encounters with a primary diagnosis of osteoarthritis during a one-year time period from Jan –Dec 2016 at a large, healthcare system. Demographic data, prescription data, patient-specific prescription drug use risk criteria were collected. Descriptive analysis was conducted to characterize the population of arthritis patients who received prescription opioids. The rate of controlled substance prescribing was calculated for the population as a whole and among subgroups (age, facility type, and patient risk profile). Results. During the one-year time frame, our system had 45,341 outpatient encounters with a primary diagnosis of osteoarthritis. Almost a third of these encounters resulted in a prescription for an opioid or benzodiazepine (n = 7,375; 31.9%). The majority of patients were between ages 18 and 64 (57.1%), with 42.9% patients >65. While 38.8% were prescribed in an acute care setting (ED or Urgent Care), the majority were in outpatient clinics (58.8%) with 36.2 % of outpatient encounters originating from orthopaedic clinics. 14.3% of those who received a prescription had a risk factor for prescription misuse, the most prevalent being “early refill” (7.0%). Conclusion. Opioids remain a prevalent treatment for osteoarthritis, given in over a third of encounters. These prescriptions pose a risk for adverse outcomes, since over a third of patients had a risk factor for misuse. Continued efforts to improve compliance with evidence-based guidelines as well as alternative pain management pathways are critical to help curb the use of opioids for management of osteoarthritis

Introduction. Opioids are an important component of multimodal analgesia, but improper utilization places patients at risk for overdose and addiction. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to determine whether the quantity of opioid pills prescribed at discharge is associated with the total amount of opioids consumed or unused by patients after total hip (THA) and knee (TKA) arthroplasty. Methods. 304 Opioid naïve patients undergoing THA or TKA were randomized to receive a prescription for either 30 or 90 5mg oxycodone immediate release (OxyIR) tablets at discharge. All patients received acetaminophen, meloxicam, tramadol and gabapentin perioperatively. Daily opioid consumption, reported in morphine equivalent dose (MED), number of unused OxyIR, and pain scores were calculated for 30 days postoperatively with a patient-completed medication diary. The number of OxyIR refills and total MED received were recorded for 90 days postoperatively. Power analysis determined that 141 patients per group were necessary to detect a 25% reduction in means in opiate consumption between groups. Statistical analysis involved t-test, rank sum, and chi-squared tests with alpha=0.05. Results. 161 Patients were randomized to receive 30 tablets and 143 to receive 90. In the first 30 days, the median number of unused OxyIR tablets was 15 in the 30 group versus 73 in the 90 group (p<0.0001). Within 90 days of discharge, 26.7% of the 30 group and 10.5% of the 90 group requested a refill (p<0.001), leading to a mean of 777.1 MED versus 1089.7 prescribed (p<0.0001). There was no difference between groups in mean MED consumed and pain scores within the first 30 days. Baseline demographics and outcome scores were similar between groups suggesting appropriate randomization. Conclusion. Prescribing a smaller number of opioids at the time of surgery is associated with equivalent pain scores and opioid consumption yet a significant reduction in unused narcotics