Half Avoid Opioids After Colorectal Surgery - Takeaways - MDSpire

Half Avoid Opioids After Colorectal Surgery

Researchers examine postdischarge pain management after elective colorectal surgery, focusing on how prescribing practices align with actual opioid use at home.

  • By

  • Kathryn Wighton

  • January 16, 2026

  • 3 min

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  • 1

    Fifty-one percent of patients managed postdischarge pain without opioids after elective colorectal surgery.

  • 2

    Older age, fewer prescribed opioids, no postdischarge cannabis use, and higher patient activation were linked to opioid-free analgesia.

  • 3

    The study involved 344 patients, with a mean age of 58 years, and most were opioid-naïve prior to surgery.

  • 4

    Discharge prescriptions included multimodal analgesia, with 92% receiving acetaminophen and 38% receiving NSAIDs.

  • 5

    The study suggests addressing modifiable predictors of opioid use may help reduce unnecessary opioid prescriptions.

Original Source(s)

Half Avoid Opioids After Colorectal Surgery

  • by Kathryn Wighton

  • January 16, 2026

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