Opioid Usage, Disposal Methods, and NSAID Usage After Hip Arthroscopy.
Rachel L Poutre1, Jeffrey S Mun1,2, Srish S Chenna1,3
1Sports Medicine Service, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine
|December 22, 2025
Summary
Patients undergoing hip arthroscopy used fewer opioid prescriptions than prescribed and often did not dispose of them properly. Combining opioids with NSAIDs proved effective for postoperative pain management.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Pain Management
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Opioids are commonly prescribed for postoperative pain following hip arthroscopy.
- There is limited research on patient opioid utilization and disposal practices after this procedure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify opioid consumption and disposal after hip arthroscopy.
- To identify predictors of increased postoperative opioid use.
- To evaluate the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) pre- and post-surgery.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study included 77 patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for labral tears.
- Patients completed postoperative pain and medication use logs.
- Data collected included demographic, radiographic, and intraoperative factors.
Main Results:
- Patients consumed an average of 8.3 oxycodone tablets and 37.3 NSAID tablets.
- 23% of patients did not use any opioids; 83.3% did not dispose of medications properly.
- Higher BMI, Tönnis grade, and alpha angle predicted increased opioid consumption.
Conclusions:
- Hip arthroscopy patients consume fewer opioids than prescribed and have poor disposal habits, necessitating better guidelines and education.
- Concurrent use of opioids and NSAIDs is an effective postoperative pain management strategy.
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