Managing the Spectrum of Surgical Pain: Acute Management of the Chronic Pain Patient

P A ostsurgical pain is an unintended side effect of operaions that continues to be undertreated, despite new dvances in pain management. In treating surgical paients who are on medications for chronic pain, it is mportant to realize that most of these patients have eveloped a significant degree of tolerance, thereby reuiring much higher doses of opiates than opiate-naive atients. In the United States, it is claimed that chronic ain affects over 70,000,000 patients, and acute pain an lead to chronic pain if not treated properly. Pain anagement in patients on medications for chronic ain requires a multimodal approach, with frequent asessments to ensure adequate pain control. The objective of this article is to discuss management f acute pain, with an emphasis on patients who are on edications for chronic pain before an operation.