Does Meloxicam Provide as Much Pain Relief as Opioids After Shoulder Surgery?

The opioid epidemic continues to be a major concern, with orthopedic surgeons being among the top prescribers of opioids. Studies evaluating these practices found that opioids are overprescribed, even for common procedures. Patients undergoing arthroscopic labrum repair of the shoulder were found to have an average of 20 pills left over after surgery. Many strategies have been developed to tackle overprescribing and have found success, including no opioid protocols for carpal tunnel release. The purpose of this study is to examine if meloxicam alone provides similar patient reported outcomes to opioids following arthroscopic labrum repair of the shoulder.