Opioid Sparing Techniques for the Sports Medicine and Shoulder Procedures

Persistent opioid use after orthopedic surgery is a well-recognized complication, with as many as 20 percent of patients still consuming opiates at 180 days postoperative. The ongoing opioid epidemic has resulted in a three-fold increase in deaths attributed to prescription opioids from 2001 to 2016 and has reignited with the COVID-19 pandemic. Orthopedic surgeons are among the largest prescribers of opioid medications and must find ways to be responsible stewards of these drugs. We describe an environment of over prescription evidence-based methodology to provide patients with the appropriate relief without reliance on opiates, the historical mainstay of pain control. This is achieved by utilizing a multimodal approach consisting of education, as well as local, regional, and systemic analgesics.