Clinical practice guidelines for postoperative pain management in adults (2024 edition)

Acute pain differs in many aspects from chronic pain states and can arise from various etiologies. Recent years have seen advancements in postoperative acute pain management, which is a critical component of perioperative care. These strategies play a key role in enhancing recovery after surgery (ERAS) with goals of reducing postoperative opioid consumption and shortening hospital stay durations. To further standardize postoperative pain management for adult patients in China，the Guidelines Working Group has developed the Clinical Practice Guideline for Postoperative Pain Management in Adults (2024 Edition). These guidelines were formulated in accordance with World Health Organization handbook for guideline development and the Guidance Principles for Developing/Revising Clinical Guidelines in China (2022 Edition). These guidelines consist of 33 evidence-based recommendations for 17 clinical questions on postoperative pain management. We provide recommendations pertaining to preoperative education, risk assessment, selection of analgesic modalities, and management of adverse effects. We also provide some principles of analgesia strategy including: using preemptive or multimodal analgesia; foundation; regional blocks; patient-controlled intravenous analgesia; and opioid sparing. By enhancing the scientific rigor of postoperative pain management， the guidelines aim to provide healthcare professionals with a clear decision-making framework, ultimately improving patient outcomes.