A growing number of patients undergoing major surgery are receiving medication for opioid use disorder, highlighting the need for modernized pain management strategies, according to a forthcoming study in Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
The study, an overview of which was shared with Becker’s in a Jan. 13 news release, analyzed 8.1 million surgical admissions between 2016 and 2022 and found the rate of MOUD use rose from 154.4 to 240.8 per 100,000 procedures during the period. About 80% of patients receiving MOUD were prescribed buprenorphine, which offers safety and pain control advantages compared to other treatments.
Most surgeries associated with MOUD use were orthopedic procedures, though the most common was debridement for serious infections, a frequent complication of intravenous drug use. Use of MOUD was more prevalent among men and in rural areas, with higher rates in the Midwest and Northeast.
Mark Bicket, MD, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, said the findings underscore the need for surgical teams to coordinate care with addiction treatment providers. The authors called for evidence-based guidelines to support perioperative pain management for patients on MOUD.
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