Post-surgery acute pain Unit
Casuistry of the Hospital de Clínicas
Keywords:
POSTOPERATIVE PAIN, PAIN CLINICS, ANALGESIAAbstract
Prevalence of post-surgery acute pain rates is high; Acute Pain Units have proved to manage it efficiently.
The paper analyzes the first Pain Unit in the country, in the Anesthetic Department in the Hospital de Clínicas.
A population of 617 surgical patients was prospectively analyzed to evaluate the incidence and intensity of pain according to an analogous numeral scale (ENA).
Pharmacological protocols were used to measure intensity of pain: mild pain: non steroids anti-inflammatory (AINEs); moderate pain: AINEs plus weak opiod; severe pain: strong opiod. Thoracic or back peridural catheter was considered for major toracic or abdominal surgery.
At recovering ward the pain incidence was 44%: mild pain = 11%, moderate = 15% and severe = 18%.
After individualized adjustment of painkillers, incidence and severity of pain significantly decreased: 21%, 20.7% = mild pain – 0.3% = moderate pain).
At 24-hour stay-in ward, incidence grew as follow: mild = 27%, moderate = 11% and severe = 3%).
Patients were discharged from the Acute Pain Unit as follow: after 24 hours, 555 (90%), after 48 hours, 41 (7%) and after 72 hours, 21 (3%).
The Acute Pain Unit had better managed post-surgical pain, an influent aspect of recovering.
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