| Abstract: | Pain is a complex experience consisting of sensory, affective, behavioural and physiological components. Pain management is therefore best achieved through an approach which acknowledges the complex interaction between biological, psychological and sociocultural factors. Effective pain management requires preoperative patient engagement and education in order to manage expectations and a structured inpatient service to facilitate evidence-based postoperative pain management and continuous staff education. Multimodal postoperative analgesia, built on an opioid-sparing ethos, is an essential component of perioperative pain management. Effective pain management facilitates early mobilization and a reduction in respiratory and cardiac complications and reduces the stress response to surgery which in turn improves wound healing and recovery. Inadequate pain control can lead to morbidity and mortality including prolonged hospital stays and the development of chronic postoperative pain. |
