Credit score: Unsplash/CC0 Public Area
In an effort to stem the demise toll from opioid overdose, United States public well being officers have promoted the prescription and use of medicines like buprenorphine that blunt the consequences of illicit opioids akin to fentanyl.
Nonetheless, what occurs when sufferers on these drugs require surgical procedure and anesthesia?
At the moment, there aren’t any evidence-based tips to assist clinicians deal with this affected person inhabitants.
To fill in data gaps, Mark Bicket, M.D., Ph.D., and his group examined developments in use of medicines for opioid use dysfunction amongst surgical sufferers.
The outcomes are revealed within the journal Anesthesiology.
Taking a look at 2016–2022 claims knowledge from the Merative MarketScan Business Database, the group targeted on surgical procedures amongst adults 18–64 who had a declare for buprenorphine, methadone or extended-release naltrexone (collectively categorized as MOUD, drugs for opioid use dysfunction) between 1 and 180 days earlier than their process.
They discovered that charges of MOUD use went up from 154 per 100,000 procedures in 2016 to 240 per 100,000 procedures in 2022, principally ensuing from will increase in using buprenorphine.
The prevalence of MOUD use elevated in all age subgroups besides in sufferers 18–34, which barely decreased.
As for the sorts of surgical procedures undergone by these sufferers, debridement and orthopedic procedures, akin to shoulder arthroplasty, decrease extremity amputation and hip or pelvis fracture open restore had the best prevalence of MOUD use.
The findings spotlight a necessity to determine medical observe tips for sufferers receiving MOUDs, particularly round orthopedic surgical procedure, to coordinate care and ache administration and mitigate danger of hurt.
Extra data:
Mark C Bicket et al, Traits in Use of Medicines for Opioid Use Dysfunction amongst Commercially Insured U.S. Surgical Sufferers, 2016-2022, Anesthesiology (2025). DOI: 10.1097/aln.0000000000005771
Offered by
College of Michigan
Quotation:
Research examines developments to be used of medicines for opioid use dysfunction amongst surgical sufferers (2025, October 27)
retrieved 27 October 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/information/2025-10-trends-medications-opioid-disorder-surgical.html
This doc is topic to copyright. Aside from any truthful dealing for the aim of personal examine or analysis, no
half could also be reproduced with out the written permission. The content material is offered for data functions solely.
