Post‐Operative Analgesics Score, Another Tool in the Quest for a Better Pain Management

This edition of the World Journal of Surgery addresses an issue of global humanitarian, economic, and even political importance. It has been termed the ‘fifth vital sign’ and is responsible for a significant economic burden to both individuals and society. Although acute pain has obvious implications in terms of resource utilization and humane treatment, it is chronic pain resulting from surgical procedures that has the greater impact on quality of life and economic activity. A signif-icant proportion of the harm associated with chronic pain is its’ treatment; the opioid epidemic in the USA and worldwide illustrates the dangers of managing chronic pain with medications designed to relieve acute pain. No standardized therapy for chronic post-surgical pain (CPSP)exists; preventative strategies thus deserve focused attention. This holds true especially in inguinal hernia surgery, an area where the confluence of three nerves and their surgical handling are associated with a significant incidence of debilitating chronic post-inguinal surgery pain (CPIP). Preventing CPIP remains a challenge. Experienced surgeons may suspect that an individual, highly anxious patient may be at higher risk of CPIP, but clinical practice often confounds even the most astute clinician. Identifying at-risk patients is thus a key component in managing thisentity. Understanding that a hot, dry summer increases the risk of forest fires contributes to enhanced vigilance.

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Published in: World Journal of Surgery
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
See article on publisher's website: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00268-023-07101-6