A new study published in Clinical Spine Surgery examines postoperative narcotic consumption for anterior lumbar interbody fusion and lateral lumbar interbody fusion patients.
Study authors evaluated patients who underwent ALIF or LLIF from 2007 to 2014 and recorded inpatient narcotic consumption. There were 169 patients who met study criteria: 118 ALIF patients and 51 LLIF patients. Study authors found:
1. Inpatient narcotic consumption was greater in patients who had body mass index of 30 or more.
2. Workers compensation patients were at a higher risk for continued narcotic use through the first and second postoperative visits.
3. Patients with a history of preoperative narcotic use were at a higher risk of continued narcotic use during the second postoperative visit.
4. Study authors concluded, “Workers compensation patients and patients who utilize narcotics preoperatively should be the targets of efforts to reduce continued postoperative narcotic usage.”