title: Room for improvement: unmet needs in postoperative pain management.
abstract: Postoperative pain treatment is an important healthcare issue. However, the management of pain in patients after surgery remains insufficient. In the present review, several key areas important for postoperative pain management are discussed. New findings about efficacy and side effects of nonopioid analgesics, such as paracetamol, NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors, are presented and discussed in light of acute, short-term application in the perioperative period. Second, new findings about postoperative pain management in patients with preoperative pain and chronic opioid consumption are reported. Third, feasibility of the transversus abdominal plane block as a new and promising regional anesthesia technique is discussed. Finally, potential predictors, mechanisms and preventive treatment strategies of persistent chronic pain after surgery are presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital of Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building A1, 48149 Muenster, Germany. pogatzki@anit.uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: Esther M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Pogatzki-Zahn
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schnabel
authors.forename: Peter K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Zahn
mesh_terms: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D012306:Risk; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D001241:Aspirin