Opiate prescription after hip and knee arthroplasty: a retrospective cohort study.

Aims: Excessive opiate analgesia in relation to orthopaedic surgery is associated with morbidity and mortality. Pre-operative use of opiates is associated with higher post-operative use. There is little information about opiate prescribing practices in relation to elective total joint arthroplasty (TJA) in New Zealand rural centres.