In the United States, opioid overdoses have taken many lives, and public health officials have been working hard to reduce this problem.
One way they’ve done this is by encouraging doctors to prescribe medications like buprenorphine, methadone, and extended-release naltrexone.
These drugs are used to treat people who are addicted to opioids such as fentanyl and heroin. They help reduce cravings and block the effects of illegal drugs, allowing patients to recover and avoid overdose.
But what happens when someone who is taking these medications needs surgery? Surgery often requires anesthesia and strong pain relief afterward. Doctors currently don’t have clear guidelines on how to manage these patients before, during, and after their procedures. This creates a big gap in care that could lead to serious problems.
To better understand the situation, Dr. Mark Bicket and his team conducted a study to find out how common it is for surgical patients to be taking these medications. Their research was published in the journal Anesthesiology.
The team looked at insurance data from 2016 to 2022 using the Merative MarketScan Commercial Database.
They focused on adults aged 18 to 64 who had surgery and were taking one of the three main medications for opioid use disorder (MOUDs): buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone. The researchers tracked whether these patients had used one of these medications within six months before their operation.
They found that the number of surgical patients taking MOUDs has increased over time. In 2016, there were about 154 patients per 100,000 surgeries taking these medications. By 2022, this number had grown to 240 per 100,000. Most of this increase came from a rise in the use of buprenorphine, a common treatment for opioid addiction.
Interestingly, this rise in MOUD use was seen in almost all age groups, except for those aged 18 to 34. In that group, the rate of use slightly dropped over time. The types of surgeries most often performed on patients using MOUDs were related to wounds and bones.
These included procedures like removing damaged tissue (called debridement), replacing shoulder joints, amputating lower limbs, and repairing broken hips or pelvises.
These findings are very important. They show that more and more patients undergoing surgery are also receiving treatment for opioid addiction. However, because there are no official medical guidelines for handling these patients during surgery, doctors may not always know the best way to manage their pain or avoid complications.
Reviewing the study, it’s clear that the health care system needs to do more to support this growing group of patients. Creating clear rules and treatment plans—especially for common surgeries like orthopedic procedures—would help doctors give better, safer care.
Coordinated care between addiction specialists, surgeons, and anesthesiologists could reduce the risk of under-treated pain, withdrawal symptoms, or even relapse after surgery.
In short, as more people are treated for opioid addiction, the medical community must catch up to meet their needs in all areas—including surgery. Better planning and teamwork could make a big difference in helping these patients heal safely.
If you care about pain, please read studies about how to manage your back pain, and Krill oil could improve muscle health in older people.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to live pain-free with arthritis, and results showing common native American plant may help reduce diarrhea and pain.
The study is published in Anesthesiology.
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