• Jason H Boulter, Brian P Curry, Nicholas S Szuflita, Charles A Miller, Joseph Spinelli, John J Delaney, Chris J Neal, Christopher J Spevak, and Randy S Bell.
• Division of Neurosurgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
• Neurosurgery. 2020 May 1; 86 (5): 717-723.

BackgroundThe opioid epidemic continues to worsen with a concomitant increase in opioid-related mortality. In response, the Department of Defense and Veterans Health Agency recommended against the use of long-acting opioids (LAOs) and concurrent use of opioids with benzodiazepines. Subsequently, we eliminated benzodiazepines and LAOs from our postoperative pain control regimen.ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of removing benzodiazepines and LAOs on postoperative pain in single-level transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) patients.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of single-level TLIF patients from February 2016-March 2018 was performed. Postoperative pain control in the + benzodiazepine cohort included scheduled diazepam with or without LAOs. These medications were replaced with nonbenzodiazepine, opioid-sparing adjuncts in the -benzodiazepine cohort. Pain scores, length of hospitalization, trigger medication use, and opioid use and duration were compared.ResultsAmong 77 patients, there was no difference between inpatient pain scores, but the -benzodiazepine cohort experienced a faster rate of morphine equivalent reduction (-18.7%, 95% CI [-1.22%, -36.10%]), used less trigger medications (-1.55, 95% CI [-0.43, -2.67]), and discharged earlier (0.6 d; 95% CI [0.01, 1.11 d]). As outpatients, the -benzodiazepine cohort was less likely to receive opioid refills at 2 wk (29.2% vs 55.8%, P = .021) and 6 mo postoperatively (0% vs 13.2%, P = .039), and was less likely to be using opioids by 3 mo postoperatively (13.3% vs 34.2%, P = .048).ConclusionReplacement of benzodiazepines and LAOs in the pain control regimen for single-level TLIFs did not affect pain scores and was associated with decreased opioid use, a reduction in trigger medications, and shorter hospitalizations.Copyright © 2019 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

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