Patterns, incidence and predictive factors for pain after interventional radiology

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Pain Management
• Patient Outcomes

Background:

• Interventional radiological procedures are increasingly common.
• Understanding post-procedural pain is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively evaluate the pattern, severity, and predictive factors of pain following interventional radiological procedures.
• To assess the adequacy of current pain management strategies.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study of 150 patients undergoing non-arterial interventional radiological procedures.
• Pain assessment using a visual-analogue scale (VAS) before and for 24 hours after procedures.
• Analysis of pain scores in relation to specific procedures and pre-procedural analgesia.

Main Results:

• Significant pain increases observed after biliary, central venous access, gastrostomy, and esophageal stenting procedures.
• Non-significant pain increases after duodenal and colonic stenting.
• Significant pain reduction reported after nephrostomy insertion.
• 69.2% of patients required post-procedural analgesia, with 28.0% needing opiates.
• Higher VAS scores in patients without pre-procedural analgesia.

Conclusions:

• Post-procedural pain is a frequent issue with variable patterns and severity across different interventional radiology procedures.
• Current pain management is often inadequate, highlighting the need for improved strategies.
• Pre-procedural analgesia may be beneficial in reducing maximum post-procedural pain scores.