Pediatric Surgical Opioid Prescribing Concentrated Among a Few Procedures
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2024 -- Pediatric surgical opioid prescribing is concentrated among a small number of procedures, especially tonsillectomy and/or adenectomy, according to a study published online June 26 in Pediatrics.
Kao-Ping Chua, M.D., Ph.D., from the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional analysis of commercial and Medicaid claims to examine which surgical procedures account for the most pediatric surgical opioid prescribing. Surgical procedures performed among patients aged 0 to 21 years from Dec. 1, 2020, to Nov. 30, 2021, were included in the analyses. The total amount of opioids in prescriptions dispensed within three days of discharge from surgery was calculated, as measured in morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs).
The researchers found that the top three procedures accounted for 59.1 percent of MMEs in opioid prescriptions dispensed after surgery among 107,597 procedures for patients aged 0 to 11 years: tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy (50.3 percent), open treatment of upper extremity fracture (5.3 percent), and removal of deep implants (3.5 percent). The top three procedures accounted for 33.1 percent of MMEs among 111,406 procedures for patients aged 12 to 21 years: tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy (12.7 percent), knee arthroscopy (12.6 percent), and cesarean delivery (7.8 percent).
"Targeting these procedures in opioid stewardship initiatives could help minimize the risks of opioid prescribing while maintaining effective postoperative pain control," the authors write.
One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry and has provided expert medical testimony.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted June 2024
Read this next
Only One-Quarter of Adults Who Needed Opioid Use Disorder Meds in 2022 Received Them
THURSDAY, June 27, 2024 -- Only one-quarter of adults who needed opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment in 2022 received medications for OUD, according to research published in the...
ADHD Meds May Help Control Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy
TUESDAY, June 25, 2024 -- Psychostimulants may help opioid use disorder (OUD) outcomes in pregnant women, according to a study published online June 11 in Nature Mental...
About One-Third of Mental Health Facilities Offer Meds for Opioid Addiction
THURSDAY, June 20, 2024 -- About one-third of community outpatient mental health treatment facilities (MHTFs) offer medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), according to a...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.