Addressing postoperative opioid use following urologic procedures
“While we do see a decrease in opioid use, we still want to make sure that the pain is addressed and that it's addressed correctly,” says Laura Gressler, MS, PhD.
In this video, Laura Gressler, MS, PhD, shares the take-home message from the Urology Practice paper, “National Long-Term Trends in Postoperative Opioid Prescribing in Ambulatory Urology Procedures.” Gressler is an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy in Little Rock.
Transcription:
What is the take-home message for the practicing urologist?
I would say that while postoperative opioid prescribing has decreased significantly within the 7-day period following ambulatory urological procedures, there's still a critical need for additional guidelines to manage pain beyond that period, and urologists should focus on utilizing nonopioid pain management strategies, which it seems like they're doing with the increase of nonopioid pain management prescribing, and ensure thorough patient education and follow-up to mitigate the risk of prolonged opioid use.
Is there anything you would like to add?
As a researcher, I'd like to emphasize the need for further research into the factors driving opioid prescriptions beyond the immediate postoperative period. There should be concerted efforts to develop and implement comprehensive guidelines that address these factors, ensuring that patients receive effective pain management while minimizing the risk of opioid dependency. So while we do see a decrease in opioid use, we still want to make sure that the pain is addressed and that it's addressed correctly. This study really highlights the progress made in reducing opioid use, but also underscores the ongoing challenges that require targeted interventions. And then finally, we need better data to fully assess this issue, including capturing over-the-counter medication use and other potential confounders, such as provider or patient preferences, because these factors can significantly affect our ability to comprehensively understand and actually address postoperative opioid use.
This transcription was edited for clarity.
