Continuation versus Interruption of Buprenorphine/Naloxone in Adult Veterans Undergoing Surgery: Examination of Postoperative Pain and Opioid Utilization in a National Retrospective Cohort Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Prescription rates for buprenorphine in opioid use disorder are increasing, and recent guidelines recommend its continuation during and after surgery; however, evidence from clinical outcome studies is limited. The authors tested the hypotheses (1) that perioperative continuation of buprenorphine does not result in higher pain scores and (2) that this approach does not result in higher supplemental postoperative opioid requirements.

Methods

The Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse was queried for patients who underwent surgery while being prescribed buprenorphine/naloxone for opioid use disorder between 2010 and 2020. Analysis of the prescription record was used to infer buprenorphine management, and a 3:1 matched control set of patients without buprenorphine

SUBMITTER: Hitt JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11732713 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature