Expert panel consensus recommendations for postoperative pain management in the Gulf region

Postoperative pain is a considerable issue in the Gulf region; however, at present there is a lack of comprehensive guidelines addressing postoperative pain management in the region. Therefore, an expert panel of pain specialists convened to address this issue and a set of key recommendations has been developed pertinent to the practice of postoperative pain management in the Gulf region (Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen). These recommendations take into consideration the unique variation in cultural, religious and societal beliefs found in the region, as well as varying accessibility to pain medications, thereby aiming to serve as evidence-based guidance on the best practice management of postoperative pain in the Gulf region.