The Effect of Perioperative Ketorolac Administration on Opioid Use After Hip Arthroscopy

Patients undergoing hip arthroscopy often have postoperative pain that is managed in part with opioids. The hypothesis of this study was that administration of ketorolac at the conclusion of the case may improve postoperative pain control and reduce opioid use. This investigation was a retrospective, observational study of opioid use, pain, and time spent in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) among opioid-naïve patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy (Current Procedural Terminology code 29914 or 29916) for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome before and after the institution of a surgeon-driven policy to administer ketorolac at the end of the case. Baseline characteristics and perioperative ketorolac administration were recorded. Outcomes included opioids used in the PACU through discharge measured in oral morphine equivalents, time spent in the PACU, and pain reported by the patient in the PACU. Comparative statistics, including multivariable main effects linear regression modeling, were performed to determine the effect of ketorolac administration on outcomes. Patients who did not receive ketorolac consumed a median of 22.5 oral morphine equivalents in the PACU through discharge, whereas patients who received ketorolac consumed a median of 17.5 oral morphine equivalents. No significant difference was found in pain reported or time spent in the PACU through discharge, although the results favored ketorolac administration. This study showed a modest but statistically significant reduction in early postoperative opioid use among patients receiving ketorolac at closure. Ketorolac could be part of a multimodal preemptive pain management strategy to help to reduce postoperative opioid use. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(3):e417-e421.].