Management of postoperative pain in children undergoing orthopaedic surgery.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to document how postoperative pain in children is managed routinely at a ward for orthopaedic surgery and to evaluate whether the treatment used is adequate. Children aged 6 to 14 years undergoing elective osteotomy at lower extremities were eligible. Information describing analgesic use preoperatively, perioperatively, and postoperatively for the first 3 days was collected. A direct self-reporting method was used to assess the children's experience of pain. Twenty-three children participated in the study. All children received analgesic treatment consisting of a central- and a peripheral-acting drug. As-needed administration was most common, and administered doses were often below the recommended doses. Of the children, 70% reported the experience of at least one episode of pain, and 26% experienced the worst pain they could imagine. It is still necessary to improve the care and efforts put into pain management.