Controlling acute pain to improve the quality of postoperative pain management

Improvement in postoperative pain management remains a global concern with a significant unmet need for patients. This was the focus of a 'Change Pain' session at the 35th European Society of Regional Anesthesia meeting (Maastricht, September 2016). Awareness of the size and nature of the problem is important to improve postoperative pain management strategies. Optimal treatment of acute pain should aim to avoid long-term sequelae such as the development of chronic pain disorders (e.g., phantom limb pain). Cases highlighting unsuccessful and successful strategies to manage individuals undergoing surgery were presented. The benefits of personalized care, encouraging patients to be more involved in decisions regarding their treatment and their preferred clinical outcomes were discussed and considered to be a step forward in acute pain management.

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