Association of patient and clinical characteristics with postoperative opioid consumption following total knee arthroplasty: a single center retrospective study.

Background: The primary aim of our study was to determine which patient and clinical characteristics were associated with opioid consumption in phase I recovery following unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at our hospital.

Methods: Our institutional review board approved this study. A total of 600 Black, Hispanic, and White patients who underwent unilateral TKA at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Temple from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022 were randomly selected for analysis. Patients were excluded from the final analysis if there was incomplete data regarding opioid consumption or body mass index, if the procedure was improperly coded, or if the patient received liposomal bupivacaine as part of their local infiltration analgesia.

Results: Among the 534 patients included in the final analysis, 373 and 161 patients did and did not receive opioid medication in phase I recovery, respectively. Preoperative acetaminophen administration (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.17; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.25, 3.78; P = 0.006) and general anesthesia as primary anesthetic technique (aOR 3.56; 95% CI 1.55, 8.17; P = 0.003) were independently associated with opioid consumption during phase I recovery following TKA.

Conclusions: Patients who received opioid medication in phase I recovery following TKA were more likely to have received preoperative acetaminophen and general anesthesia compared to patients who received no opioid medication.