Postoperative pain Management Modalities and Their Effectiveness after Major Abdominal Surgery in a Tertiary Level Hospital

Introduction: Postoperative pain is a common concern and requires effective management to enhance patient comfort, facilitate recovery, and prevent complications such as pneumonia and organ dysfunction. Proper pain control improves patient satisfaction, supports physiotherapy, and accelerates rehabilitation. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of different pain management modalities following major abdominal surgery. Methods :This qualitative observational study included 186 postoperative patients who underwent major abdominal surgery over six months. Data were collected using a structured sheet, recording patient demographics, pain management strategies, satisfaction levels, Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) assessments, frequency of breakthrough pain, and need for rescue analgesia. Results :Postoperative analgesia was administered as follows: IV fentanyl with paracetamol (57.52%), IV paracetamol + fentanyl + ketorolac (38.31%), IV tramadol + paracetamol + ketorolac (18.81%), and IV paracetamol + epidural analgesia (1.6%). Breakthrough pain requiring additional analgesia occurred in 46.8% of patients. Regarding patient satisfaction, 5.4% strongly agreed, 53.2% agreed, 25.8% were uncertain, and 15.6% disagreed with their pain management. Conclusion: Despite the availability of various pain management strategies, 46.8% of patients experienced breakthrough pain requiring additional analgesia within 48 hours postoperatively. Overall, 58.8% of patients expressed satisfaction with their pain management. Further optimization of analgesic protocols may enhance pain control and patient outcomes.