Opioid Use Patterns After Total Joint Arthroplasty.

ABSTRACT

The incidence of new persistent opioid use following elective total joint arthroplasty (TJA) hasnt been well documented; with this study we aim to further characterize opioid use following TJA, specifically focusing on those patients still requiring opioid prescriptions 6 months postoperatively. Retrospective review of a consecutive series of 977 primary TJA performed from June 2016May 2017. Opioid prescriptions verified in Surescripts database; 3.7% (29) opioid nave patients and 18.0% (35) opioid nonnave patients received fills at 6 months. Opioid nave patients requiring fills at 6 months had more fills from 12 months onward. Opioid nonnave patients requiring fills at 6 months had more preoperative fills than those that werent filling opioid prescriptions (5.49 vs. 2.52 fills). Most patients in this study ceased opioid use by 3 months postoperatively. More preoperative fills in the opioid nonnave population and continuing to fill prescriptions after 23 months were associated with continued opioid use. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 29(1)1317, 2020).