Multimodal analgesia and postsurgical pain

The knowledge of how to achieve effective pain relief is of major importance to all doctors and healthcare professionals that is treating patients undergoing surgery. Pain relief provides significant physiological benefits; hence, monitoring pain relief and its impact is increasingly becoming an important postoperative measurement of quality. The goal for postoperative pain management is to reduce or eliminate pain and discomfort with a minimum of side effects, in order to achieve fast recovery and fast discharge of patients as well as to avoid chronification of postsurgical pain (PSP). Since the pathophysiology of postoperative pain is understood to a great extent, this can be helpful in order to establish an effective multimodal analgesic plan. For the treatment of PSP, a multimodal analgesic approach, as a part of an enhanced recovery protocol, is the best option for the patient. Beyond nonopioid systematic analgesics, regional analgesia, peripheral blocks, infiltration techniques and opioid analgesics, patient education, and nonpharmacological options have a substantial role. Individuality of pain (different type of surgeries, different population, etc.) is one of the most important characteristics that physicians who treat patients after surgery should take into account.