We’ve come a long way in surgically addressing hernias in the last half century, and now hernia surgery has very high rates of success and a reduced likelihood of subsequent development. So while we’re doing a great job surgically correcting hernias, new research suggests that we might not be providing patients with the best care post-op.
According to a new study, many patients are overprescribed opioids in the wake of a hernia repair operation. For their study, researchers examined nearly 200 patients who underwent elective inguinal hernia surgery repair using the same surgical technique. Patients were given a standard amount of post-op prescription medication; They either received 10 tablets of Vicodin or 10 tablets of hydrocodone/acetaminophen to ease their pain. Patients were also encouraged to switch to over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen, Tylenol or acetaminophen to manage any discomfort when possible.
Opioids After Hernia Surgery
Researchers were astonished by how many prescription pain pills were left over at the conclusion of the patient’s recovery. According to researchers, 86 percent of patients used less than half of their prescribed Vicodin, and almost two-thirds didn’t use any Vicodin. Instead, they relied solely on non-opioid OTC pain medications.
“The implication of our study is that, even though surgeons have been careful to limit the number of opioid tablets that we prescribe following operations, we may still be prescribing more medication than is actually needed by our patients,” said study senior author Dr. Peter Masiakos, who works at Massachusetts General Hospital. “These results suggest that we should take a detailed look at our patient’s experiences and our prescribing habits to really determine how much opioid medication we should provide out patients.
These findings can go a long way in helping cut down on opioid dependence and abuse. If a patient needs stronger medication, they can certainly reach out to their hernia surgeon for a different dosage, but it’s clear that we should try to scale back opioids for certain patients after hernia surgery. Another study has found that as many as 6 percent of patients who are prescribed opioids after surgery become addicted or dependent on the drugs, and that’s just too high of a number. By working closely with the patient and scaling back opioid prescriptions, we can reduce the number of people who are negatively affected by opioids each year.
Minnesota Hernia Surgeon
So if you need a hernia repair in the Minnesota area and you want a competent doctor that will do everything in his power to ensure you aren’t overprescribed or underprescribed pain pills after your operation, reach out to Dr. Koeplin’s office today. We can help ensure your surgery and your recovery goes exactly as expected. Contact our office today.
