Recognizing and Reducing the Risk of Opioid Misuse in Orthopaedic Practice

J Surg Orthop Adv. 2016 Winter;25(4):238-243.

Abstract

Orthopaedic surgeons often treat patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. This musculoskeletal pain is increasingly being treated with opioid medications, contributing to the growing opioid epidemic in the United States. Opioid use and abuse before orthopaedic surgery are associated with worse clinical outcomes. This article reviews the risk factors for opioid use, misuse, and other behaviors in chronic pain patients, discusses the screening tools for opioid misuse in chronic pain patients, and provides recommendations for the orthopaedic surgeon's role in managing these complicated patients.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics, Opioid / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Overdose / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Hyperalgesia / epidemiology
  • Mass Screening
  • Mental Disorders / epidemiology
  • Musculoskeletal Pain / drug therapy*
  • Musculoskeletal Pain / epidemiology
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / epidemiology
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / prevention & control
  • Orthopedics*
  • Prescription Drug Misuse / prevention & control
  • Prescription Drug Misuse / statistics & numerical data
  • Risk Factors
  • Risk Reduction Behavior

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid