Opioid Prescribing Habits of Orthopedic Surgeons Following Total Hip Arthroplasty and Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Pilot Study.

Abstract

Background: Adequate pain management is important in patients' recovery from total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Objective: To determine whether risk factors for prolonged opioid use are considered when discharge prescriptions for postoperative pain are written following THA and TKA.

Methods: Opioid prescriptions written between June 14 and July 9, 2021, for patients who underwent THA or TKA were analyzed. Data were also collected on the patients' age, sex, type of surgery, type of anesthesia (regional or general), preoperative use of opioids, and preoperative use of antidepressants.

Results: Among the 59 patients included in the study, the most common prescriptions were for hydromorphone 2 mg (n = 15, 25%) and hydromorphone 1 mg (n = 15, 25%). At discharge, patients received a median of 400 morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs). There was no significant difference in the quantity of opioids (MMEs) prescribed at discharge in relation to surgery type (p = 0.63), sex (p = 0.44), preoperative antidepressant use (p = 0.22), or preoperative opioid use (p = 0.97). There also appeared to be no correlation between a patient's age and MMEs at discharge (p = 0.21; r ² = 0.028). None of these variables could be used to predict which patients would receive more than 400 MMEs.

Conclusions: Patient-specific factors appeared not to be taken into consideration when opioids were prescribed for postoperative pain among patients who underwent THA or TKA.