Opioid Use is Reduced in Patients Treated with NSAIDS After Arthroscopic Shoulder Instability Repair: A Randomized Study

Abstract

Objectives:

The current opioid epidemic necessitates physicians to seek ways to decrease patients’ requirements of narcotic medications without sacrificing their postoperative comfort level. This study evaluated patients’ pain following arthroscopic shoulder instability repair and compared the use of narcotic medications between patients prescribed NSAIDs with rescue opioid prescription to those prescribed opioids alone. We hypothesized there would not be a significant difference in postoperative pain and addition of NSAIDs would result in decreased opioid use.

Methods:

Forty patients scheduled to undergo an arthroscopic shoulder instability repair were randomized to receive Ibuprofen 600 mg and a 10-pill rescue prescription of Percocet 5/325 mg (n=20) or Percocet 5/325 mg (n=20). Primary outcomes were the amount of Percocet tablets used in the first week and VAS on postoperative day (POD) 1, 4, and 7. Statistical analysis was done using independent t-tests and bivariate analysis for correlation. Findings were considered significant at p<0.05.

Results:

Forty patients with a mean age of 35.08 (± 8.48)were enrolled between December 2017 and May 2018. The total amount of opioid consumption was statistically significantly lower in the multimodal group compared to the opioid group (p <0.04) as well as Percocet consumption between POD 0-4 (p <0.04). There were no significant differences in VAS at any point between the two groups. One patient in the Ibuprofen cohort experienced dizziness on POD 1. Two patients in the Percocet cohort experienced nausea and vomiting on POD 1 and POD 4.

Conclusion:

Multimodal analgesia using NSAIDs with an opioid rescue prescription has resulted in significant reduction in postoperative narcotic consumption. As both cohorts showed similar pain levels, it is possible to alleviate postoperative pain with lower amounts of opioids than are currently being prescribed. The public health crisis of opioid abuse requires an immediate solution beginning with the reduction of post-operative narcotics distribution.