Managing acute pain after abdominal surgery: examples from practice

Abstract

Following abdominal surgery, ischaemia and neuropeptide release cause pain at the trauma site, and there is a high incidence of moderate-to-severe pain. Inadequate pain management leads to complications, delayed recovery and prolonged hospitalisation, and thus, effective management is essential. This article describes an implementation of acute pain management after abdominal surgery. A multidimensional assessment tool collected data on demographics, medical history and surgical situation, as well as interventions used, their administration route and their side effects. Pain level was recorded on a scale of 0–10, both at rest and during physical activity, by postoperative day; patient participation and satisfaction were also recorded. Nine patients met the inclusion criteria for the study. Pharmacological analgesic interventions included opioids (morphine, fentanyl and tramadol) and paracetamol. Administration was either intravenous, epidural or via patient-controlled analgesia. These were combined with non-pharmacological interventions, specifically cold gel packs, massage therapy and music therapy. All patients achieved the adequate management goals of pain at rest below 3/10 and during activity below 4/10, and all participated in pain decision-making, were satisfied with pain treatment, and reported the usefulness of preoperative information. Pain management following abdominal surgery is vital, and the use of a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological techniques was effective.