What is the goal of postoperative pain management?

The goal of postoperative pain management is to control pain effectively while minimizing the use of opioids, which helps in facilitating recovery. Effective pain management is crucial as it can reduce the physiological stress response associated with pain, promote better healing, and improve patient satisfaction. Managing pain without relying heavily on opioids is important due to the potential side effects and risks associated with opioid use, including addiction and respiratory depression.

While complete sedation is not desirable following surgery because patients need to be awake and alert, eliminating all pain immediately can be unrealistic and may lead to over-reliance on medications. Encouraging rapid discharge is a goal of the entire surgical process but should not overshadow the need for adequate pain control. Prioritizing balanced pain management strategies ensures patients can recover effectively and progress towards discharge in a comfortable and safe manner.