Minimally invasive sigmoidectomy for diverticular disease decreases inpatient opioid use: Results of a propensity score-matched study

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery are at high risk for postoperative opioid use. METHODS: We evaluated inpatient opioid use among patients undergoing sigmoidectomy for diverticular disease from the Premier Hospital Database and compared across surgical approaches using propensity score-matching analysis. RESULTS: After the day of surgery, minimally invasive (MIS) patients were administered significantly lower doses of parenteral opioids (median daily morphine milligram equivalents [MME]: 33.3 versus 48.3, p < 0.001). Within MIS, significantly less parenteral opioids were used by the robotic-assisted (RS) than the laparoscopic (LS) group (median daily MME: 30.0 versus 36.8, p = 0.012). MIS patients were more likely than open to start oral opioids on the day of surgery (MIS vs. OS: 8.7% vs. 6.6%, p < 0.001; RS vs. LS: 12.6% vs. 10.2%, p = 0.048). CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive sigmoidectomy for diverticular disease was associated with less postoperative parenteral opioid use and starting oral opioids sooner after surgery compared to the open approach.