Acute postoperative pain in lung transplant recipients

BACKGROUND: This retrospective study was designed to assess the quality of postoperative pain control and the facility of transition from epidural to oral analgesia in lung transplant recipients. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, data were collected from the charts of all patients who underwent lung transplantation at our institution between 1998 and 2002. The study group consisted of the patients for whom an epidural was the first postoperative pain management modality. To serve as a control group we reviewed the charts of 30 patients, randomly selected over the same period, who underwent a thoracotomy for indications other than transplantation and who received postoperative epidural analgesia. RESULTS: Eighty-three patients were available for analysis. Unilateral and bilateral lung transplant recipients had equivalent quality of pain control. However, lung transplant recipients had a lower incidence of adequate pain relief than patients undergoing thoracotomy for other indications (73% vs 87%, p < 0.05). Lung transplant recipients also had a higher incidence of epidural to oral analgesia transition failure (47% vs 20%, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to assess the quality of postoperative pain control and success of transition from epidural to oral analgesia in lung transplant recipients. Prospective studies are needed to assess the impact of our findings on patients' outcome.     

Current perception thresholds and postoperative pain in schizophrenic patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Schizophrenic patients may have less sensitivity to pain; however, pain insensitivity in schizophrenia has not been adequately evaluated. We investigated current perception threshold (CPT) and postoperative pain intensity in patients with long-standing and treated schizophrenia and control patients. METHODS: We measured CPTs for 2,000 Hz, 250 Hz, and 5 Hz and postoperative pain intensity using a visual analogue scale (VAS) in 50 chronic schizophrenic patients who were on chronic phenothiazine derivatives (> 10 years) and for 25 control patients. RESULTS: CPTs for 2,000 Hz, 250 Hz, and 5 Hz in schizophrenic patients were 334.2 +/- 112.2, 303.9 +/- 117.1, and 165.0 +/- 72.3, respectively. CPTs for 2,000 Hz, 250 Hz, and 5 Hz in schizophrenic patients were significantly higher than those of control patients. VAS pain scores of schizophrenic patients were 4.0 +/- 1.7 at 2 hours post-operatively and 3.8 +/- 1.5 at 5 hours postoperatively, which were significantly (P < .05) lower than those (5.0 +/- 1.6 and 5.1 +/- 1.9) of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic schizophrenic patients have increased current perception threshold and lower VAS pain scores in postoperative pain compared with control patients.     

Acute to chronic postoperative pain in children: preliminary findings

Background/purpose

Chronic postoperative pain is a well-established clinical phenomenon that is associated with adverse outcomes. The incidence of this clinical phenomenon in children, however, is not well established. The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence of chronic pain in children after surgery.

Methods

Following a screening process, a total of 113 children and their parents were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Data regarding persistence and characteristics of pain after surgery were obtained.

Results

Approximately 13% of the children, most of whom underwent orthopedic procedures, reported the existence of symptoms of chronic postoperative pain. Most of the children indicated that the pain started immediately after surgery, was localized to the surgery site, and was intermittent. Children reported a median duration of pain of 4.1 months, and approximately half of the children experienced pain most days of the week. Up to 30% of the children reported interference of pain in functioning in areas such as extracurricular activities and sleep.

Discussion

Given the large number of children at risk for experiencing chronic postoperative pain, preventative efforts are necessary. Large-scale cohort prospective studies are needed to confirm the results of this cross-sectional study.     

Acute pain control and accelerated postoperative surgical recovery.

Postoperative pain relief continues to demand our awareness, and surgeons should be fully aware of the potential physiologic benefits of effective dynamic pain relief regimens and the great potential to improve postoperative outcome if such analgesia is used for rehabilitation. To achieve advantageous effects, accelerated multimodal postoperative recovery programs should be developed as a multidisciplinary effort, with integration of postoperative pain management into a postoperative rehabilitation program. This requires revision of traditional care programs, which should be adjusted according to recent knowledge within surgical pathophysiology. Such efforts must be expected to lead to improved quality of care for patients, with less pain and reduced morbidity leading to cost efficiency.     

伤口治疗师创面操作性疼痛管理现状调查分析

目的 了解伤口治疗师在换药过程中创面操作性疼痛管理现状及有效管理的障碍因素,为提高创面操作性疼痛管理水平提供参考。方法 采用自行设计的创面操作性疼痛管理问卷对228名伤口治疗师进行调查。结果 44.3%伤口治疗师所在医院建立伤口疼痛管理制度与流程;64.0%认为创面操作性疼痛不可避免;51.3%在换药时会始终进行创面操作性疼痛评估,31.6%始终会采取措施控制创面操作性疼痛;85.5%认为创面操作中存在镇痛不足的情况。创面操作性疼痛管理的障碍因素主要包括：患者认为自己可以忍耐疼痛,不愿如实汇报疼痛情况;不愿使用镇痛药,担心镇痛药成瘾或不能控制不良反应,以及对药物产生耐药性等;换药人员疼痛管理知识不足;医院或科室疼痛管理制度不完善;换药人员工作负荷重等。结论 伤口疼痛管理组织制度有待完善,伤口治疗师对创面操作性疼痛的认知水平和疼痛管理程序有待提高与规范,镇痛效果有待提升。建议规范创面操作性疼痛管理程序,解决创面操作性疼痛管理的障碍因素,从而提升创面操作性疼痛的镇痛效果,改善患者伤口换药体验。     

急性疼痛服务组织的构建与实践

目的规范术后疼痛管理,提高术后镇痛效果。方法成立在麻醉医生督导下以疼痛专科护士为主体的急性疼痛服务组织,制定各级人员职责,完善运作流程,对860例术后患者实施规范化手术后镇痛,包括术前访视,疼痛查房,上报和处理不良事件,建立疼痛档案等。结果术后患者发生的并发症包括恶心呕吐(51例,5.93%)、皮肤瘙痒(9例,1.05%)和腹胀(27例,3.14%),无一例发生呼吸抑制。术后3d患者静息痛和运动痛评分均保持在3分以下。患者对急性疼痛管理的满意度达到95.0%,较上年同期提高20.0%。结论成立APS实施规范的术后镇痛,可以提高镇痛质量和患者满意度。     

Establishment and practice of Acute Pain Service organization for acute postoperative pain

目的 规范术后疼痛管理,提高术后镇痛效果.方法 成立在麻醉医生督导下以疼痛专科护士为主体的急性疼痛服务组织,制定各级人员职责,完善运作流程,对860例术后患者实施规范化手术后镇痛,包括术前访视,疼痛查房,上报和处理不良事件,建立疼痛档案等.结果 术后患者发生的并发症包括恶心呕吐(51例,5.93％)、皮肤瘙痒(9例,1.05％)和腹胀(27例,3.14％),无一例发生呼吸抑制.术后3d患者静息痛和运动痛评分均保持在3分以下.患者对急性疼痛管理的满意度达到95.0％,较上年同期提高20.0％.结论 成立APS实施规范的术后镇痛,可以提高镇痛质量和患者满意度.     

术后急性疼痛与慢性疼痛关系的研究进展

背景 术后急性疼痛管理仍然不尽人意,如何防治急性疼痛转化为慢性疼痛仍然是临床亟待解决的问题. 目的 阐述术后急性疼痛转化为慢性疼痛的研究进展,为术后疼痛管理以减少慢性疼痛的发生提供参考. 内容 就急性疼痛转化为慢性疼痛的可能性等方面作一综述. 趋向 进一步研究术后急性疼痛转化为慢性疼痛的机制,以明确有效的预防急性疼痛慢性化的方法.     

Acute opioid tolerance: intraoperative remifentanil increases postoperative pain and morphine requirement

BACKGROUND: Rapid development of acute opioid tolerance is well established in animals and is more likely to occur with large doses of short-acting drugs. The authors therefore tested the hypothesis that intraoperative remifentanil administration results in acute opioid tolerance that is manifested by increased postoperative pain and opioid requirement. METHODS: Fifty adult patients undergoing major abdominal surgery were randomly assigned to two anesthetic regimens: (1) desflurane was kept constant at 0.5 minimum alveolar concentrations and a remifentanil infusion was titrated to autonomic responses (remifentanil group); or (2) remifentanil at 0.1 microg. kg-1. min-1 and desflurane titrated to autonomic responses (desflurane group). All patients were given a bolus of 0.15 mg/kg morphine 40 min before the end of surgery. Morphine was initially titrated to need by postanesthesia care nurses blinded to group assignment. Subsequently, patients-who were also blinded to group assignment-controlled their own morphine administration. Pain scores and morphine consumption were recorded for 24 postoperative h. RESULTS: The mean remifentanil infusion rate was 0.3 +/- 0.2 microg. kg-1. min-1 in the remifentanil group, which was significantly greater than in the desflurane group. Intraoperative hemodynamic responses were similar in each group. Postoperative pain scores were significantly greater in the remifentanil group. These patients required morphine significantly earlier than those in the desflurane group and needed nearly twice as much morphine in the first 24 postoperative h: 59 mg (25-75% interquartile range, 43-71) versus 32 mg (25-75% interquartile range, 19-59; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Relatively large-dose intraoperative remifentanil increased postoperative pain and morphine consumption. These data suggest that remifentanil causes acute opioid tolerance and hyperalgesia.     

Preoperative risks factors in postoperative pain (or persistent postoperative pain)

The management of postoperative pain should not only focus on the surgery procedure. Taking into account of many parameters that can change the course of the perioperative pain; an early preoperative anesthesia management should allow to improve various protocols. Some factors can be greatly improved during the preoperative period; others parameters can be modified by the protocol during or after the surgery.     

Consequences of inadequate postoperative pain relief and chronic persistent postoperative pain

Inadequately controlled pain has undesirable physiologic and psychologic consequences such as increased postoperative morbidity, delayed recovery, a delayed return to normal daily living, and reduced patient satisfaction. Importantly, the lack of adequate postoperative pain treatment may lead to persistent pain after surgery, which is often overlooked. Overall, inadequate pain management increases the use of health care resources and health care costs. This article reviews the physiologic and psychologic consequences of inadequately treated pain, with an emphasis on chronic persistent postoperative pain.