Narcotic Use After Minor Hand Surgery

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Pain, Postoperative; Minor Surgical Procedures; Narcotics Use
• Interventions: Behavioral: Initial prescription for 10 narcotic tabs; Behavioral: Inital prescription for 30 narcotic tabs

• Registration Number: NCT02970383
• Lead Sponsor: Carilion Clinic

Brief Summary

This study evaluates the effect of larger or smaller opioid prescriptions following minor surgery on the amount of narcotic used, patient reported satisfaction, refill requests, and leftover narcotic.

Detailed Description

Patients are randomized to receive prescriptions for either 10 or 30 tabs of 5 mg hydrocodone/325 mg acetaminophen following minor hand surgery. Patients are allowed to request additional medication as needed. Patients are contacted by phone 10-14 days after their surgery to answer a questionnaire regarding number of pills taken, number of refills requested, number of remaining pills, their satisfaction with their pain control and their surgery, and their opinion regarding the appropriateness of the prescription size.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2015-10
• Primary Completion: 2016-10
• Study Completion: 2016-10
• Status Verified: 2016-11
• Study First Submitted: 2016-11-18
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-11-18
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-11-18
• Study First Posted: 2016-11-22
• Last Update Posted: 2016-11-22

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 200

Inclusion Criteria

• patients undergoing minor hand surgery by a participating surgeon within the study period

Exclusion Criteria

• narcotic use within previous 3 months
• concurrent procedure
• acute trauma
• pregnancy
• allergy or other contraindication or intolerance to hydrocodone or acetaminophen
• post-operative complications
• inability to provide personal consent to the procedure or the research

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
10 group	Initial prescription for 10 narcotic tabs	Initial prescription for 10 narcotic tabs
30 group	Inital prescription for 30 narcotic tabs	Initial prescription for 30 narcotic tabs

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Narcotic used	10-14 days post-op	number of narcotic tabs taken by patient (5mg hydrocodone/325 mg acetaminophen)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Number of refills requested	10-14 days post-op	number of times patient requested additional pain medication
Number of left over tabs	10-14 days post-op	Number of left over usable narcotic tabs remaining in patient possession
Patient reported efficacy of pain control	10-14 days post-op
Patient reported satisfaction with pain control	10-14 days post-op
Patient reported satisfaction with overall surgical experience	10-14 days post-op
Patient Opinion Regarding Appropriateness of Size of Initial Prescription	10-14 days post-op