Perioperative Management of the Orthopaedic Patient and Alcohol Use, Abuse, and Withdrawal.

Perioperative Management of the Orthopaedic Patient and Alcohol Use, Abuse, and Withdrawal. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2018 Nov 28;: Authors: Zamorano DP, Lim PK, Haghverdian BA, Gupta R Abstract Alcohol is one of most commonly abused substances in the United States, and it has contributed to a growing epidemic of medical ailments, including cirrhosis, neurologic and psychosocial disorders, impairment to fertility, and cancer. Moreover, acute and chronic alcohol use represent a significant risk factor for orthopaedic injury and postoperative complications. Yet, relatively little is known about the clinical implications of alcohol abuse in common orthopaedic procedures. Acute withdrawal from alcohol is potentially fatal, particularly in the orthopaedic inpatient whose abstinence is mandated by the hospital setting. The aim of this review is to address the screening, diagnostic, and therapeutic tools available to appropriately manage acute alcohol withdrawal in the orthopaedic inpatient. The influence of chronic alcohol consumption on bone metabolism, fracture healing, and surgical fixation will also be reviewed because this information may guide surgical decision making. PMID: 30499892 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - Category: Orthopaedics Tags: J Am Acad Orthop Surg Source Type: research