Postoperative Opioid Prescribing After Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery

Abstract

For opioid-naive patients undergoing pelvic reconstructive surgery, we strongly recommend surgeons to provide no more than 15 tablets of opioids (roughly 112.5 morphine milligram equivalents) on hospital discharge. In cases where patients use no or little opioids in the hospital, patients may be safely discharged without postoperative opioids. Second, patient and surgical factors that may have an impact on opioid use should be assessed before surgery. Third, enhanced recovery pathways should be used to improve perioperative care, optimize pain control, and minimize opioid use. Fourth, systemic issues that lead to opioid overprescribing should be addressed. Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery surgeons must aim to balance adequate postoperative pain control with individual and societal risks associated with excess opioid prescribing.