Insights
Treating pain before it starts
An office-based team tested a pre-surgery pain protocol, because it is easier to prevent pain than to chase it.
Pain & comfort · 2 min read
Pre-emptive analgesia means giving pain medicines before the operation, so the nervous system is already dampened when surgery begins.
A quality-improvement project at an office-based plastic surgery facility tested a protocol of oral acetaminophen 1,000 mg and gabapentin 1,200 mg before surgery. The goals were less postoperative pain, less opioid use, shorter time in recovery and higher satisfaction.
What we take from it: pain control is planned the day before, not improvised afterwards. At awakeMD your anesthesiologist reviews your medicines, allergies and history first, because the right pre-surgery plan depends on you. Do not take extra medicines on your own; follow the instructions in your preparation guide.
Explore your options at a consultation Take the Comfort Compass
References
- Tinsbloom B, Muckler VC, Stoeckel WT, et al. Evaluating the implementation of a preemptive, multimodal analgesia protocol in a plastic surgery office. Plast Surg Nurs. 2017;137-143. PMID 29210970