Surgeons at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia examined the rate of opioid prescriptions in pediatric patients undergoing orthopedic procedures.
What they found is pediatric patients are being over-prescribed opioids. They published their findings in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
Five study details:
1. CHOP surgeons included 81 patients with a mean age of 6.1 ± 2.1 years who underwent closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of a supracondylar humeral fracture at a single pediatric trauma center.
2. Upon arrival at the emergency department, patients' mean pain ratings were highest at 3.5 ± 3.5 points. By postoperative day one, patients' pain reduced to 3.5 ± 2.4 points.
3. Three days postoperatively patients' mean pain ratings decreased to 1.8 ± 1.8 points. Additionally, the mean opioid doses decreased to 0.8 ± 1.2 doses.
4. However, patients reported to only use 24.1 percent of the prescribed opioids. There was no significant difference in pain ratings or opioid use by fracture classification, age or sex.
5. The authors concluded, "A prescription for seven opioid doses after discharge should allow adequate postoperative analgesia in the majority of patients while improving narcotic stewardship."