An update on the perioperative management of postcraniotomy pain

Pain after craniotomy is often severe and undertreated. Providing adequate analgesia while avoiding medication adverse effects and physiological complications of pain remains a perioperative challenge.

Multimodal pain management includes regional anesthesia and analgesic adjuncts. Strategies aim to reduce or eliminate opioids and the associated side effects. Many individual pharmacologic interventions have been studied with beneficial effects on acute pain following craniotomy. Evidence has been accumulating in support of scalp blockade, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), dexmedetomidine, paracetamol, and gabapentinoids. The strongest evidence supports scalp block in reducing postcraniotomy pain and opioid requirements.

Improving analgesia following craniotomy continues to be a challenge that should be managed with multimodal medications and regional techniques. Additional studies are needed to identify the most effective regimen, balancing efficacy and adverse drug effects.