A Prospective Randomized Study Analyzing Preoperative Opioid Counseling in Pain Management After Reduction Mammoplasty

Prescription opioid abuse has been increasing dramatically in recent years. There is growing concern regarding the unprecedented increase in morbidity and mortality related to the use of opioids.1-2 In 2010 the rates of opioid sales, deaths, as well as associated treatment admissions have increased to more than triple the rates in 1999.1-2 Although policy makers and the media often associate the opioid crisis as a problem of nonmedical opioid abuse, evidence has suggested that opioid addiction occurs in both medical and nonmedical users.2 The Centers for Disease control and Prevention reported and warned that long-term opioid use often starts with treatment of some type of acute pain.3 Prescription opioids have been shown to be favorable in perioperative pain management, however, their effectiveness in chronic pain management is not as clear. Surgeons are among the highest opioid prescribers. Many common elective as well as trauma-related procedures have been reported as possible causes of increased prolonged opioid usage. Recent evidence also suggested that a considerable number of patients who were prescribed opioids struggle to with transitioning to non-opioid pain medications.1-6 Numerous methods have been considered and explored in effort of decreasing the misuse and abuse of prescription opioids. One of the methods being opioid counseling, in which patients are educated on the effects and risks of short-term and long-term opioid usage and physicians recommend and discuss the appropriate opioid usage as well as alternative nonopioid options. It has also been indicated that counseling is more effective if given earlier on in the patient's surgical care rather than through rushed education overview at discharge.1,4-6 Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of perioperative opioid counseling within a specific group of patient population who are undergoing bilateral reduction mammoplasty.