Opioid Usage, Disposal Methods, and NSAID Usage After Hip Arthroscopy

Opioids are a fixture of postoperative pain management for hip arthroscopy. However, prescriptions can be wide-ranging and there is a paucity of literature regarding patient utilization of prescriptions.

To (1) quantify patient opioid consumption and disposal methods after primary hip arthroscopy; (2) establish demographic, radiographic, and intraoperative predictors of increased postoperative opioid use; and 3) evaluate preoperative and postoperative NSAID usage.

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

A prospective cohort study was conducted of patients who underwent hip arthroscopy at a single institution. Patient inclusion criteria included patients aged ≥18 years who were clinically indicated for hip arthroscopy for a symptomatic labral tear secondary to femoroacetabular impingement and returned a completed postoperative pain and medication use log at suture removal. Exclusion criteria included previous surgery on the ipsilateral hip and previous opioid use.

A total of 77 patients met the inclusion criteria. Postoperatively, patients consumed a mean ± SD 8.3 ± 9.63 of 5-mg oral oxycodone and 37.3 ± 26.8 of 200-mg oral NSAID tablets. Of patients, 23% did not consume any opioid medications postoperatively. The mean number of leftover tablets was 27.4 ± 16.4. The majority of patients did not follow proper disposal guidelines (83.3%). Increased body mass index, Tönnis grade, and alpha angle were significant predictors of increased consumption of opioids (all P < .05). There was a significant positive relationship between the number of opioids and the number of NSAIDs taken postoperatively (P = .017).

Overall, patients consumed fewer opioids than prescribed and did not correctly dispose of opioid medications, underscoring the need for prescription guidelines and disposal education. NSAID use was also prominent in the patient population, demonstrating that opioids and NSAIDs together can be effective pain management strategy tools for hip arthroscopy patients in the postoperative period.