Application of Multimodal Pain Management Protocols Following Pediatric Liver Transplantation

To develop and implement a pain management program aimed at improving pain control and promoting postoperative recovery following liver transplantation in pediatrics.

This study was a retrospective analysis of 95 children who underwent liver transplantation between May 2020 and May 2025. Patients were divided into observation and control groups according to the actual postoperative pain management plan they received. The observation group received a multimodal analgesia protocol incorporating both drug and non-drug interventions. Pain was assessed regularly, and corresponding interventions were implemented as needed. The control group received conventional analgesic management. Pain score, recovery time, and family satisfaction were the primary outcome measures. Independent-sample t-tests and chi-square tests were used for between-group comparisons.

Pain scores in the observation group were significantly lower than those of the control group during the T3-T7 stages (the afternoon of the first postoperative day, and T7 refers to the afternoon of post operative day 3) (p < 0.05). Time to ambulation was significantly shorter in the observation group (p = 0.002), with shorter hospitalization duration (p = 0.004) than those in the control group. Pain-related stress indicators also improved significantly in the observation group (p < 0.05). Additionally, significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding the distribution of satisfaction levels for nursing rounds (p = 0.030) and health education (p = 0.005).

The postoperative pain management program for pediatric liver transplantation effectively alleviates postoperative pain through multimodal analgesia, shortens recovery time, and improves family satisfaction. This approach shows substantial clinical value and may serve as a reference for standardizing pain management in children post-liver transplantation.