[How is postoperative pain evaluated?].
The assessment of postoperative pain and analgesic efficacy is essential as pain levels and morphine requirements are not predictable. Self-assessment with unidimensional methods (such as the visual analogue pain scale, the numerical rating scale and the verbal rating scale) is the rule for adults and children more than 5 years of age. The former is a validated method and the most accurate and reproducible scale. Assessment of pain is difficult in children less than 5 years old. Only the scales for hetero-assessment with behavioural assessment (CHEOPS and OPS) are used. Finally, morphine consumption with PCA is also an indirect pain assessment method. Postoperative pain should be assessed several times a day in every patient, starting in the recovery room and prolonged during hospital stay. Pain should be measured at rest and in dynamic conditions by the medical and paramedical team.
Aubrun
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Département d'anesthésie-réanimation chirurgicale, groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
D000367:Age Factors; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*