ABSTRACT
Post-operative pain relief should be planned before surgery starts and should be discussed and agreed with the patient. The patient is usually anxious not only about the operation ahead but also about the recovery period. Providing a plan for post-operative analgesia might help relieve some of that anxiety. Pain is a very personal experience and its interpretation can be subjective. Different pain assessment scales are used to quantify it and their use ensures that everyone looking after the patient 'speaks the same language'. Epidural analgesia can be one of the most effective forms of post-operative analgesia, but it is invasive and it has complications. It should only be considered when the anticipated pain is significant – for example, abdominal, thoracic or major orthopaedic surgery. Peripheral nerve blockade can provide good pain relief, minimising the use of post-operative opioids. It can be delivered as a one-off bolus, by repeated boluses or continuous infusion via a catheter.
