Evaluation of Opioid Prescribing Patterns and Use Following Hysterectomy for Benign Indication: A Prospective Cohort Study

Objectives: To evaluate surgeon opioid prescribing patterns for patients undergoing hysterectomy for benign indication, as well as patient use of postoperative medications and satisfaction with postoperative pain management. Methods: Patients undergoing hysterectomy for benign indications at Kingston Health Sciences Centre were invited to participate in a telephone survey 2 weeks post-surgery to review their analgesia use and pain management. Patient demographics, medical history, intraoperative surgical details, and postoperative prescriptions were gathered through patient record review. Opioid prescribing and utilization patterns were assessed, as was satisfaction with postoperative pain management. Results: Of 124 eligible patients 110 (89%) completed the telephone survey, a mean 15.9 +/- 2.3 days after surgery. The mean age of participants was 51.6 +/- 11.9 years. Most surgeries (84.5%) were minimally invasive, and 45.5% of patients were discharged within 24 hours of surgery. An opioid prescription was given to 71.8% of participants, and 52.7% used at least 1 dose of opioid medication after discharge. Most participants described very good or adequate postoperative pain management (88.2%). Satisfaction with postoperative pain control was not associated with receipt of an opioid prescription (P = 0.89). A greater proportion of those who used 1 or more doses of opioids versus none indicated poor or inadequate pain management (19.0% vs. 4.1%; P = 0.035). Conclusion: Many patients do not use postoperative opioid analgesia following hospital discharge after hysterectomy, without experiencing poor pain management. Surgeons should assess each individual and tailor the analgesia plan as necessary, optimizing non-opioid options.