The future of postsurgical pain management as envisaged from the perspective of preventing the development of chronic postsurgical pains

Abstract

The importance of perioperative management has been emphasized in recent years so that patients who go through surgeries may return to their normal life as quickly as possible. In achieving this objective, pain management plays a key role in that alleviating pain in the earliest possible timing not only provides favorable effects both physically and psychologically but may also contribute toward preventing development of chronic postsurgical pains (CPSPs). While the actual risk of developing CPSP is comprised of a complex mixture of various factors before, during and after surgeries, 70 ％ of such pains are considered to be predictable based on clinical factors. In order to prevent the development of CPSP, then, finding high–risk patients from among those who are to go under surgeries and providing them with pre–surgery patient education as well as continuous postsurgical pain management and care by interdisciplinary teams should be helpful. The authors look forward to seeing more postsurgical pain management teams with anesthesiologists as their pivotal members to be formed in Japan.