title: The first year's experience of an acute pain service.
abstract: The benefits, risks and resource implications of providing an Acute Pain Service were assessed during the first year of the service. Six hundred and sixty patients recovering from major surgery were treated with patient-controlled analgesia (510 patients) or extradural infusion analgesia (150 patients). The results of a prospective outcome study showed that pain control was good: more than 60% of patients scored their pain as mild during the first 24 h. Only 10% of patients complained of severe postoperative pain. Eight patients developed potentially serious complications including respiratory depression and hypotension; the diagnosis and management of these problems on general wards is discussed. Retrospective analysis of the incidence of postoperative chest infection in surgical patients showed a marked reduction during the first year of the service (1.3% in 1988, 0.4% in 1989-90 (P less than 0.01].
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, York District Hospital.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Wheatley
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Madej
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hunter
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D003932:Heroin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000592:standards*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D003932:Heroin; D009020:Morphine; D002045:Bupivacaine