Pre-packed take-home analgesia reduces postoperative opioid use after distal radius fracture surgery: a retrospective cohort study

: Distal radius fractures (DRFs) are common and often require post-surgery analgesics, overprescription is a major concern. This study investigated postoperative opioid dispensation before and after the introduction of a pre-packed take-home analgesia kit. A retrospective cohort study, comparing opioid dispensation, measured in oral morphine equivalents (OME), before and after the introduction of pre-packed analgesia kits. In 2022, our hospital introduced analgesia kits for patients undergoing volar plate fixation for intra-articular DRF. Thirty-six patients who underwent surgery January–June 2019 met the inclusion criteria (control), and 44 who underwent surgery January–June 2022 (intervention). Patients receiving the analgesia kit had lower opioid dispensation (median 105 OME) compared to the control group (315 OME) (p <0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in additional opioid prescriptions or sick leave duration. Our findings suggest that introduction of pre-packed take-home analgesia kit significantly reduces opioid dispensation for intra-articular DRF surgeries.