In this nationwide registry study, we found that prolonged opioid use after surgically treated PF in Finland's working-age population is common as 40.3% of the patients used opioids still over 3 months after the surgery. Preoperative opioid use and depression predicted prolonged opioid use. Also, preoperative opioid use, depression, younger age, PF operation during winter and falling or jumping from height were associated with increased opioid prescription volume. Opioids should not be prescribed after 3 months of the index surgery as one in seven PF patients became opioid dependent.
Ekman et al. (Sun,) studied this question.