Background:

Predicting opioid use after lumbar spine fusion remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to identify clinical and demographic parameters that could be associated with opioid use trends during hospitalization after lumbar spine fusion.

Methods:

A cohort study of prospective data for all lumbar fusions performed by single surgeon for an 18-month period from 2019 to 2020 was conducted. Univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses were used to assess associations.

Results:

Amongst the overall cohort of 136 lumbar fusion patients, the mean age was 66.1 ± 10 years, there was an average of 1.7 ± levels treated. Overall, mean opioid use for total stay was 276 ± 360 morphine milligram equivalents (MME), with the greatest amount on postoperative day 1 (POD1) with 81.6 ± 86 MME. Multivariable linear analysis identified older age (-9.9 MME/year; P < 0.01), male gender (-130 MME; P = 0.03) and thoracolumbar interfascial plane (TLIP) block (-144 MME; P = 0.02) all independently were associated with significantly lower opioid use during overall hospitalization. Older age (P < 0.01), POD1 pain in back (P < 0.01), and TLIP use (P < 0.02) also independently were associated significantly lower opioid use on POD1.

Conclusions:

Significant reductions in opioid use during hospitalization after lumbar spine fusion were associated with patients that were older, male, and had a TLIP block used. The maximum absolute opioid use was on POD1. We were able to quantify these trends on a daily gradient, which lays the conceptual groundwork to develop personalized algorithms which can model opioid use during hospitalization prior to surgery.