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Application of Multimodal Pain Management Protocols Following Pediatric Liver Transplantation
Jin-Feng Zhuo1, Hui-Ying Zhong1, Xian-Ling Zhang2
1Organ Transplantation Intensive Care Unit, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 510700 Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Insights
A new pain management program for pediatric liver transplant patients significantly reduced pain scores and accelerated recovery. This multimodal approach also enhanced family satisfaction, offering a valuable model for clinical practice.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Anesthesiology
- Transplant Medicine
Background:
- Liver transplantation in children presents unique challenges in postoperative pain management.
- Effective pain control is crucial for optimizing recovery and reducing complications in pediatric transplant recipients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and implement a pain management program for pediatric liver transplant patients.
- To evaluate the program's impact on pain control, recovery time, and family satisfaction.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 95 pediatric liver transplant patients (May 2020-May 2025).
- Comparison of a multimodal analgesia protocol (observation group) versus conventional management (control group).
- Primary outcomes included pain scores, time to ambulation, hospitalization duration, and family satisfaction.
Main Results:
- The multimodal group showed significantly lower pain scores (p < 0.05) during postoperative days 1-3.
- Shorter time to ambulation (p = 0.002) and hospitalization duration (p = 0.004) were observed in the multimodal group.
- Improved pain-related stress indicators and higher family satisfaction with nursing rounds (p = 0.030) and health education (p = 0.005) were noted.
Conclusions:
- The developed pain management program effectively alleviates postoperative pain in pediatric liver transplant recipients.
- Multimodal analgesia significantly shortens recovery time and enhances family satisfaction.
- This program holds substantial clinical value for standardizing pain management in this population.
Aim:
To develop and implement a pain management program aimed at improving pain control and promoting postoperative recovery following liver transplantation in pediatrics.
Methods:
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.
Results:
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).
Conclusions:
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.