Opioid Prescribing and Use in Ambulatory Otolaryngology

The objective of this study was to evaluate surgeon-prescribing patterns and opioid use for patients undergoing common otolaryngology surgeries. We hypothesized that there was little consistency across surgeons in prescribing patterns and that surgeons prescribed significantly more opioids than consumed by patients.

E-mail-based surveys were sent to all postoperative patients across a 23-hospital system. The survey assessed quantity of opioids consumed postoperatively, patient-reported pain control, and methods of opioid disposal. We compared patient-reported opioid consumption to opioids prescribed based on data in the electronic data warehouse.

There was wide variation in prescribing between providers both in the quantity and type of opioids prescribed. Patients used significantly less opioids than they were prescribed (10 vs. 30 tablets, P < 0.001) for both opioid-exposed and opioid-naïve patients. More than 75% of patients had excess opioids remaining.

Opioids are consistently overprescribed following ambulatory head and neck surgery. Otolaryngologists have an important role in the setting of the national opioid epidemic and should be involved in efforts to reduce excess opioids in their community.

4 Laryngoscope, 130: 1913-1921, 2020.