Management of pain after surgery--a short review

In the last decade, methods for the relief of pain following surgery have received attention. Acute postoperative pain management has evolved to include many other treatment modalities, apart from the traditional method of intramuscular opioids in the postoperative period. Changes made include the introduction of other routes of analgesic administration, introduction of new analgesics as well as the introduction of different methods of producing analgesia. In Nigeria, many of the new techniques being used abroad have not been introduced into our routine practice. It is intended to review the present situation and suggest methods of improvement.