A study in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons explored the risk factors for prolonged postoperative opioid use after spine surgery.
Study authors researched the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program to analyze opioid prescription patterns at three months and six months postoperatively. The study featured adult patients who underwent spine surgery at a tertiary care hospital with a single surgeon over a five-year period.
Patients were split among three groups. Group one featured patients who were given opioid prescriptions written three and six months preoperatively. Group two included patients who had opioid prescriptions at three months preoperatively. Group three comprised patients who were not taking opioids prior to surgery.
The study found patients in group one were at an increased risk of developing dependency on opioids postoperatively compared to group two and group three. Patients in group one also had larger quantities of opioids prescribed postoperatively.
"Use of opioid medications at six months preoperatively is a risk factor for continued usage and at a higher doses six-months postoperatively," the study authors concluded.