Trends in Patient Procurement of Postoperative Opioids and Route of Hysterectomy in the United States from 2004 to 2014

The opioid epidemic in the United States is a public health emergency. Minimally invasive surgical technology has decreased length of hospital stay, improved postoperative recovery, and decreased postoperative pain. Hysterectomy is one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the United States. Increasing trends in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery are expected to reduce patients ’ postoperative pain. It is unclear whether this assumption has resulted in decreasing post-operative opioid prescriptions or patient need for these prescriptions, as prescribing patterns may be contributing to the current opioid public health emergency.

Source: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology - July 12, 2018 Category: OBGYN Authors: Jennifer C. Thompson, Yuko M. Komesu, Fares Qeadan, Peter C. Jeppson, Sara C. Cichowski, Rebecca G. Rogers, Aur élien J. Mazurie, Anastasiya Nestsiarovich, Christophe G. Lambert, Gena C. Dunivan Source Type: research