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Opioid Fills for Lumbar Facet Radiofrequency Ablation Associated with New Persistent Opioid Use

  • 1% of patients undergoing lumbar facet radiofrequency ablation filled a perioperative opioid prescription, while 78.9% of patients did not have a perioperative opioid fill.
  • The unadjusted rate of new persistent opioid use was 5.6% in the group with a perioperative opioid fill versus 2.8% for those without an opioid fill.
  • Periprocedural opioid prescription fill was independently associated with increased odds of new persistent opioid use
  • Opioid prescribing after radiofrequency ablation should be reevaluated and likely discontinued in this population.


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Southren DL, Moser S, Abu-Amara H, et al. Opioid Fills for Lumbar Facet Radiofrequency Ablation Associated with New Persistent Opioid Use. Anesthesiology. 2020;132(5):1165-1174. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000003164