HSS journal : the musculoskeletal journal of Hospital for Special Surgery
-
Elective total joint arthroplasty may be a gateway to long-term opioid use. ⋯ The use of multimodal analgesia with regional techniques may decrease perioperative opioid use for patients undergoing THA and TKA. These techniques should be part of a comprehensive perioperative plan to promote adequate analgesia while minimizing overall opioid exposure.
-
The opioid prescribing patterns of orthopedic surgeons have been shown to play a role in exacerbating rates of opioid misuse among post-surgical patients. Demonstrable success has been appreciated by combining policy-level approaches and clinical education-based strategies to inform patients of alternative modalities of post-operative analgesia. ⋯ Addressing the misuse of opioids among orthopedic patients requires appropriate prescribing practices and long-term support of patients. Collaboration between surgeons and policymaking entities is recognized as an effective population-wide approach to preventing opioid dependence, misuse, and addiction.
-
Pain management after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) may pose a risk of prolonged opioid use. ⋯ Opioid use was unexpectedly low among patients undergoing ACLR after a surgeon-administered circumferential genicular nerve block and fat pad infiltration. With this protocol, the graft choice and patient age did not correlate with increased opioid use. These results could be useful in guiding post-operative opioid prescribing after ACLR.