BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of data to inform appropriate opioid prescribing for patients who are discharged after a hospital admission for a surgical procedure. STUDY DESIGN: We studied 333 inpatients discharged to home after bariatric, benign foregut, liver, pancreas, ventral hernia, and colon surgery. Chronic opioid users or patients who had complications were excluded. Home opioid usage was quantified in 90% of the remaining patients by questionnaires and phone surveys. RESULTS: Eighty-five percent of patients were prescribed an opioid and 38% of prescribed opioid pills were taken. Fifteen opioid pills satisfied the opioid needs of 88% of patients discharged on postoperative day (POD) 1. For patients discharged after POD 1, in multivariate analysis, the number of opioid pills used at home was associated with the number taken the day before discharge (p < 0.0001) and patient age (p = 0.006), but not the type of surgery. Forty-one percent of patients took no opioids the day before discharge, 33% took 1 to 3, and 26% took more than 4 pills. Eighty-five percent of patients' home opioid requirements would be satisfied using the following guideline: if no opioid pills are taken the day before discharge, no prescription is needed; if 1 to 3 opioid pills are taken the day before discharge, then a prescription for 15 opioid pills is given at discharge; and if 4 or more pills are taken the day before discharge, then a prescription for 30 opioid pills is given at discharge. If these guidelines were used, the number of opioid pills prescribed would decrease by 40%. CONCLUSIONS: For patients admitted after surgical procedures, post-discharge opioid use is best predicted by usage the day before discharge. Use of this guideline could decrease opioid prescriptions substantially and effectively treat patients' pain.
BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of data to inform appropriate opioid prescribing for patients who are discharged after a hospital admission for a surgical procedure. STUDY DESIGN: We studied 333 inpatients discharged to home after bariatric, benign foregut, liver, pancreas, ventral hernia, and colon surgery. Chronic opioid users or patients who had complications were excluded. Home opioid usage was quantified in 90% of the remaining patients by questionnaires and phone surveys. RESULTS: Eighty-five percent of patients were prescribed an opioid and 38% of prescribed opioid pills were taken. Fifteen opioid pills satisfied the opioid needs of 88% of patients discharged on postoperative day (POD) 1. For patients discharged after POD 1, in multivariate analysis, the number of opioid pills used at home was associated with the number taken the day before discharge (p < 0.0001) and patient age (p = 0.006), but not the type of surgery. Forty-one percent of patients took no opioids the day before discharge, 33% took 1 to 3, and 26% took more than 4 pills. Eighty-five percent of patients' home opioid requirements would be satisfied using the following guideline: if no opioid pills are taken the day before discharge, no prescription is needed; if 1 to 3 opioid pills are taken the day before discharge, then a prescription for 15 opioid pills is given at discharge; and if 4 or more pills are taken the day before discharge, then a prescription for 30 opioid pills is given at discharge. If these guidelines were used, the number of opioid pills prescribed would decrease by 40%. CONCLUSIONS: For patients admitted after surgical procedures, post-discharge opioid use is best predicted by usage the day before discharge. Use of this guideline could decrease opioid prescriptions substantially and effectively treat patients' pain.
Authors: Pooja Lagisetty; Amy Bohnert; Jenna Goesling; Hsou Mei Hu; Breanna Travis; Kiran Lagisetty; Chad M Brummett; Michael J Englesbe; Jennifer Waljee Journal: Ann Surg Date: 2019-03-01 Impact factor: 12.969
Authors: Benjamin A Abrams; Kimberly A Murray; Katharine Mahoney; Kristen M Raymond; Shannon K McWilliams; Stephanie Nichols; Elham Mahmoudi; Lena M Mayes; Ana Fernandez-Bustamante; John D Mitchell; Robert A Meguid; Giorgio Zanotti; Karsten Bartels Journal: Ann Thorac Surg Date: 2020-06-01 Impact factor: 4.330
Authors: Christopher L Wu; Adam B King; Timothy M Geiger; Michael C Grant; Michael P W Grocott; Ruchir Gupta; Jennifer M Hah; Timothy E Miller; Andrew D Shaw; Tong J Gan; Julie K M Thacker; Michael G Mythen; Matthew D McEvoy Journal: Anesth Analg Date: 2019-08 Impact factor: 5.108
Authors: Ali B Abbasi; Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar; Dejan Jovanov; Craig Berberet; Ponni Arunkumar; Steven E Aks; Jennifer E Layden; Mai T Pho Journal: J Urban Health Date: 2019-02 Impact factor: 3.671
Authors: Sara J Hyland; Kara K Brockhaus; William R Vincent; Nicole Z Spence; Michelle M Lucki; Michael J Howkins; Robert K Cleary Journal: Healthcare (Basel) Date: 2021-03-16
Authors: Margaret E Smith; Jay S Lee; Aaron Bonham; Oliver A Varban; Jonathan F Finks; Arthur M Carlin; Amir A Ghaferi Journal: Surg Endosc Date: 2018-10-23 Impact factor: 4.584
Authors: Pooja Lagisetty; Amy Bohnert; Jenna Goesling; Hsou Mei Hu; Breanna Travis; Kiran Lagisetty; Chad M Brummett; Michael J Englesbe; Jennifer Waljee Journal: Ann Surg Date: 2020-08 Impact factor: 12.969