Multimodal Analgesia for Postoperative Pain.

What is it about?

Although great work is being carried out in the area of postoperative pain, there is still a long way to go. It is necessary to apply a multimodal approach to pain that includes the routine use of regional techniques, a combination of analgesics such as paracetamol, non-specific or COX-2 NSAIDs and opioids by different routes, making a responsible choice for the type of patient, the surgical management and the predicted adverse effects. The true role of coadjutant drugs and non-pharmacological therapies is yet to be seen, and in the future, it will be essential to have a practical guide based on clinical evidence for each process, that includes post-surgical rehabilitation. We must delve into the pathophysiology of pain, and in the direct application of this knowledge to new drugs and new systems for drugs delivery that achieve a lower number of postoperative complications, as well as a better overall recovery and general well-being of the patients. Healthcare professionals must be trained in the field of pain and their work must be coordinated within an acute postoperative pain unit, the structure of which must be stable and multidisciplinary, so as to arrive at agreed analgesic regimens with surgical and nursing departments. In the future, the goal must be to also cover the late postoperative period with the creation of postsurgical acute and chronic pain units.

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