Large Variation in International Prescribing Rates of Opioids After Robotic Prostatectomy

Abstract OBJECTIVE To compare international opioid prescribing patterns for patients undergoing robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess international opioid prescribing trends among urologists. METHODS An anonymous Web-based survey assessing the frequency and quantity of opioid prescriptions for RALP was designed using Qualtrics software. The survey was distributed to urologists internationally via Twitter and email in early 2021. Prescribing patterns were analyzed based on country of practice in three groups: United States, Canada, and all other countries. RESUL TS 160 participants from 26 countries completed the survey including the United States (51%), Greece (19%), Canada (9%), Israel (3.1%). The percentage of providers prescribing post-discharge opioids significantly differed between Canada, the United States, and other countries (86%, 63%, and 11%, respectively, p CONCLUSIONS Opioid prescriptions after robotic assisted prostatectomy are common in North America and used sparingly in the rest of the world.