title: The prevalence of postoperative pain in the first 48 hours following day surgery at a tertiary hospital in Nairobi.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Day case surgery services are increasing all over the world. The prevalence of postoperative pain after day surgery is found to be high. Little is known about the prevalence of postoperative pain, in Kenya, after day case surgeries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of postoperative pain after day surgery at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Nairobi, to determine the severity/intensity of postoperative pain following day case surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive sampling was carried out until sample size of one hundred and fifty patients was achieved. The purpose and nature of the study was explained to patients before informed consent was obtained. They were shown how to score their pain using a visual analogue scale prior to the surgical procedure. A questionnaire was used to collect data from the patients. Follow up information was obtained through telephone interviews at 24 and 48 hours, after discharge from the day surgery unit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of postoperative pain after day care surgery was found to be 58% within 30 minutes postoperatively, 55.3% after 24 hours, and 34.7% after 48 hours following surgery. The prevalence of moderate to severe postoperative pain was 13% after 24 hours, and 11.7% after 48 hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall prevalence of postoperative pain after day surgery at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi was noted to be different from what has been reported in the literature. The prevalence of moderate and severe pain however, is less than reported in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mwaka
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thikra
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mung'ayi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Day case surgery; postoperative pain