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Postoperative Pain Management in Children and Infants: An Update

  • Therapy in Practice
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Abstract

Many factors contribute to suboptimal pain management in children. Current evidence suggests that severe pain in children has significant long-lasting effects, even more so than in adults. In particular, recent evidence suggests a lack of optimal postoperative pain management in children, especially following ambulatory surgery. This review provides simple guidelines for the management of postoperative pain in children. It discusses the long-term effects of severe pain and how to evaluate pain in both healthy and neurologically impaired children, including neonates. Currently available treatment options are discussed with reference to the efficacy and side effects of opioid and non-opioid and regional analgesic techniques. The impact of preoperative anxiety on postoperative pain, and the efficacy of some nonpharmacological techniques such as hypnosis or distraction, are also discussed. Finally, basic organizational strategies are described, aiming to promote safer and more efficient postoperative pain management in children.

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Acknowledgments

No sources of funding were used to support the writing of this manuscript.

Conflict of interest

C.Brasher, B. Gafsou, S. Duge, A. Thiollier, J. Kinderf, Y. Nivoche, R. Grace, and S. Dahmani declare no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pain Management, Robert Debré University Hospital, Paris, France

    Sophie Dugue, Anne Thiollier, Joelle Kinderf & Souhayl Dahmani

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Robert Debré Hospital, 48 Bd Sérurier, 75019, Paris, France

    Christopher Brasher, Benjamin Gafsous, Yves Nivoche & Souhayl Dahmani

  3. Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Peri-operative Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, QLD, Australia

    Robert Grace

  4. University Paris Diderot, Paris VII. Paris Sorbonne Cité, Paris, France

    Christopher Brasher, Benjamin Gafsous, Sophie Dugue, Yves Nivoche & Souhayl Dahmani

  5. INSERM UMR U 676, Robert Debré University Hospital, Paris, France

    Yves Nivoche & Souhayl Dahmani

Authors
  1. Christopher Brasher
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  2. Benjamin Gafsous
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  3. Sophie Dugue
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  4. Anne Thiollier
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  5. Joelle Kinderf
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  6. Yves Nivoche
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  7. Robert Grace
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  8. Souhayl Dahmani
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Souhayl Dahmani.

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Received from the Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Management, Robert Debré University Hospital.

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Brasher, C., Gafsous, B., Dugue, S. et al. Postoperative Pain Management in Children and Infants: An Update. Pediatr Drugs 16, 129–140 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40272-013-0062-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40272-013-0062-0

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