The Effect of Marijuana on Postoperative Spine Patients' Emergency Department Visits, Readmission Rates, and Opioid Consumption.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-2024

Publication Title

J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare postoperative opioid consumption with patients who tested negative for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) preoperatively with those who were THC-positive and patients who were positive for THC and any other drug and to compare 90-day rates of postoperative emergency department (ED) visits and 90-day readmission rates, using morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs), for those three patient populations.

METHODS: Three patient groups were confirmed with preoperative urine drug screens. Chart reviews were conducted to determine whether there was an ED visit or hospital readmission 90 days from the index procedure. MMEs were calculated for all patients.

RESULTS: There were a total of 252 patients in the THC-negative control group, 54 in the THC-positive group, and 47 in the THC-and-opioid-positive group. The 90-day ED visit and 90-day readmission rates were not statistically significant among the groups. Both the multidrug and THC-only-positive patients showed a higher 90-day MME compared with the control patients.

DISCUSSION: Our study demonstrates that THC used may increase opioid consumption. The THC patients to be cautious toward are the multidrug user. Although not statistically significant, multidrug patients were noted for a trend toward increased ED visits and readmissions.

Volume

8

Issue

2

First Page

e23.00206

DOI

10.5435/JAAOSGlobal-D-23-00206

ISSN

2474-7661

PubMed ID

38323931

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