Pain management in trauma surgery

Abstract

Trauma patients range from healthy children and adults to frail elderly ones. Pain management in the elderly can be challenging as these patients often present with other co-morbidities. Polytrauma patients, delayed admissions, substance abuse and psychological issues may also result in complication of care. Appropriate pain management is a patient’s right. It also helps early healing, reduces chronic pain and can lead to a shorter hospital stay. Pain relief is based on the WHO analgesic ladder. This helps to prescribe analgesia in a stepwise fashion and in doing so prevents unwanted adverse effects from using strong opioids. [excerpt]