Opioid prescriptions after total shoulder arthroplasty are associated with new persistent opioid use: a retrospective cohort study

Key Points

• New persistent opioid use significantly increases after total shoulder arthroplasty, indicating a surprising long-term impact.
• The study finds a 20% increase in new opioid use among patients prescribed opioids following surgery.
• Retrospective cohort study assesses opioid prescribing patterns among patients after shoulder arthroplasty over six months post-operation.
• Understanding this association may highlight the need for revised pain management strategies in post-operative care.