Trends in Opioid Usage Following Tympanoplasty and Mastoidectomy

Evaluate opioid prescribing patterns following tympanoplasty/mastoidectomy and assess factors associated to recurrent opioid use.

Retrospective cohort study.

National pharmaceutical database recording opioid fulfillment (Truven Health Marketscan Commercial Claims/Encounters and Medicare Claims/Encounters database).

Patients who 1) underwent tympanoplasty and/or mastoidectomy, 2) filled postoperative opioid prescriptions between 2011 and 2016, and 3) had no opioid prescriptions filled 60 days before surgery. Cohort 1 filled only one prescription and cohort 2 filled more than one prescription in the 12 months following surgery. Univariate/multivariate analysis was performed to assess for associations with recurrent opioid use.

Opioid prescription details and recurrent opioid use.

The study included 398 patients (cohort 1 = 233, cohort 2 [recurrent opioid user] = 165). Hydrocodone 5 mg was most frequently used. The average duration opioids were prescribed was 5.8 days with an average quantity of tablets of 36.51. Recurrent opioid use in cohort 2 was associated with total morphine milligram equivalents prescribed/d in the first postoperative week (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02, p < 0.001), post-op chronic pain disorder (OR = 2.00, p = 0.04), post-op substance abuse (OR = 2.12, p = 0.05), and post-op anxiety (OR = 1.96, p = 0.02).

Recurrent opioid use following tympanoplasty/mastoidectomy is associated with the amount prescribed per day but not opioid type or duration of treatment. Postoperative diagnoses such as chronic pain disorder, substance abuse, or anxiety could be predictive of or coexistent with recurrent opioid use. Limiting opioids prescribed per day and use of anti-inflammatory medications could decrease the risk of recurrent opioid use.