Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.]
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Little is known about postoperative opioid prescribing patterns among dermatologic surgeons. ⋯ The retrospective review suggests that opioid prescribing is predicted by characteristics of the surgery (i.e., size, defect repair type, and anatomic location) and characteristics of the surgeon (i.e., age, sex, and practice location) with significant heterogeneity in prescribing habits. The national survey results raise the possibility that patients might not take all prescribed opioid pills after dermatologic surgery. Further investigation is warranted to determine how patients are actually using prescription pain pills to balance pain control with patient safety.