The role of the psychologist in the inpatient pain service: development and initial outcomes.

Aim: This article describes the development and initial evaluation of introducing a psychologist role within an adult inpatient pain service (IPS) in a large North West of England National Health Service (NHS) trust.

Background: The role of a psychologist in the management of outpatient chronic pain has been well documented, but their role within the IPS is less well described and rarely evaluated. We describe the development of a psychologist role within the team and initial service evaluation outcomes.

Anesthesia and perioperative management of colorectal surgical patients - specific issues (part 2).

Colorectal surgery carries significant morbidity and mortality, which is associated with an enormous use of healthcare resources. Patients with pre-existing morbidities, and those undergoing emergency colorectal surgery due to complications such as perforation, obstruction, or ischemia / infarction are at an increased risk for adverse outcomes. Fluid therapy in emergency colorectal surgical patients can be challenging as hypovolemic and septic shock may coexist.

Anesthesia and perioperative management of colorectal surgical patients - A clinical review (Part 1).

Colorectal surgery is commonly performed for colorectal cancer and other pathology such as diverticular and inflammatory bowel disease. Despite significant advances, such as laparoscopic techniques and multidisciplinary recovery programs, morbidity and mortality remain high and vary among surgical centers. The use of scoring systems and assessment of functional capacity may help in identifying high-risk patients and predicting complications.