Effectiveness of acute post-operative pain management by the acute pain service.

Background: Analgesia by specialists with formal training in pain management could be more effective, to find out, the results of a team of an acute pain service will be determined.

Methods: Retrospective study (n = 108) of post-operative (POP) analgesia; two evaluations were taken: before starting analgesics in the immediate POP period and the second at 24 h. A multivariate analysis was performed to establish independent risk factors associated with the effectiveness of the treatment.

Results: The effectiveness was 81.48% at 24 h. The risk factors associated with poor management effectiveness were: a comorbidity, prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.22; fibromyalgia (PR = 8.47), and cancer (PR = 2.47). The duration of surgery was associated with poor control PR = 1.10 for each hour elapsed. Protective factors for poor pain control: administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during the POP period (PR = 0.11) and use of analgesia controlled by the patient (PR = 0.29).

Conclusion: POP pain relief is multifactorial; the participation of specialists was very effective. Identification of risk factors led to closer follow-up.