Opioid Prescribing Patterns and Usage Following Cochlear Implantation.

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Pain Management
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Opioid prescribing patterns following cochlear implantation (CI) are not well understood.
• Identifying factors associated with recurrent opioid use is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate opioid prescribing trends after CI.
• To determine factors linked to recurrent opioid use in CI patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study using a national pharmaceutical database.
• Included 98 CI recipients who filled opioid prescriptions post-surgery.
• Analyzed opioid prescription details and recurrent use within 12 months.

Main Results:

• Hydrocodone 5mg was the most common opioid. Average prescription duration was 5.49 days.
• Recurrent opioid use was associated with higher daily morphine milligram equivalents (MME) and stronger MME opioids prescribed post-surgery.
• Each additional tablet of hydrocodone 5mg or oxycodone 5mg increased the likelihood of recurrent use.

Conclusions:

• Opioid prescribing habits post-CI significantly influence recurrent opioid use.
• Prescribing no more than 40 MME per day could decrease the incidence of postoperative recurrent opioid use.
• Tailoring opioid prescriptions based on MME can mitigate long-term opioid dependency.