Can we improve the existing management of pain after cesarean delivery at Eastern Regional Referral Hospital? A retrospective study

Pain after surgery is generally considered undertreated worldwide. This may be because of insufficient skills in the management of pain. Inadequate management of pain after cesarean delivery (CD) can adversely affect the well-being of both mothers and newborns, potentially leading to a higher incidence of chronic post-operative pain. This study aimed to review the existing management of pain associated with CD and identify gaps for future improvement in the quality of pain care at Eastern Regional Referral Hospital (ERRH). This retrospective review of the management of pain after CDs, was conducted between December 2017 and December 2018 at ERRH, Bhutan. A total of 107 CDs were reviewed. Of the 107 patients reviewed, only 2% had received analgesics before surgery, and 20% of them during surgery. The majority of the patients (63%) has received a single injection of diclofenac sodium, followed by oral ibuprofen (56%) on the following day. Despite the availability of resources, the present review revealed that the existing management of pain after CDs was mostly a single-drug therapy, mainly focusing on only post-operative period.