The role of multimodal analgesia in preventing the development of chronic postsurgical pain and reducing postoperative opioid use

Wenling Jian, MD; Damoon Rejaei, MD; Ahmed Shihab, MD; Theodore A. Alston, MD, PhD; Jingping Wang, MD, PhD

doi:10.5055/jom.2018.0478

Authors

Wenling Jian, MD
Damoon Rejaei, MD
Ahmed Shihab, MD
Theodore A. Alston, MD, PhD
Jingping Wang, MD, PhD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jom.2018.0478

Keywords:

opioids, chronic postsurgical pain, hyperalgesia

Abstract

Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is a possible complication of various surgical procedures, which can impair patients' quality of life while also contributing to chronic opioid use. Multiple biopsychosocial factors put patients at risk for CPSP. Multimodal analgesia with the use of various pharmacologic and regional anesthetic techniques can help reduce the incidence and severity of CPSP. However, the relationship between various perioperative analgesic strategies and the development of CPSP is not fully understood. Although the use of multimodal analgesia will not automatically prevent CPSP and/or prolonged opioid consumption, there is potential to do so, especially by means of regional techniques.

Author Biographies

Wenling Jian, MD

Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

Damoon Rejaei, MD

Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts

Ahmed Shihab, MD

Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts

Theodore A. Alston, MD, PhD

Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts

Jingping Wang, MD, PhD

Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts

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