Routine Prescription of Opioids for Post-vasectomy Pain Control Associated with Persistent Use

Abstract:Purpose:The AUA Position Statement on Opioid Use recommends using opioids only when necessary. We sought to determine if routine prescribing of opioids is necessary for pain control after vasectomy and if an association exists with persistent use.Materials and Methods:We performed a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent clinic vasectomy between April 2017 and March 2018. Patients were stratified into two groups, those initially prescribed opioids and those not receiving opioid prescriptions at time of vasectomy. The initial pain medication regimen was dependent on each provider’s standard prescription practices. Encounters with a medical provider for scrotal pain within 30 days, subsequent opioid prescriptions, and new persistent opioid prescriptions between 90-180 days were compared between the two groups using Fisher’s exact test.Results:Between April 2017 and March 2018, 228 patients underwent clinic vasectomy by eight urologists. At the time of vasectomy, 102 patients received ...