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Recent trends in the management of acute pain in children
1Department of Anesthesiology, Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
Insights
Effective acute pain management in children is achievable and standard practice. This review covers pharmacologic strategies for postoperative and procedural pain, including regional anesthesia and new sedative medications.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Pain Management
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Acute pain in children requires effective management strategies.
- Postoperative and procedural pain are common challenges in pediatric care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize recent trends in pediatric acute pain management.
- To review pharmacologic techniques for postoperative and procedural pain in children.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of current trends in pediatric pain management.
- Analysis of pharmacologic techniques for postoperative analgesia.
- Discussion of safety guidelines and medications for procedural pain.
Main Results:
- Regional anesthesia, spinal opioids, alpha-agonists, preemptive analgesia, and patient-controlled analgesia are key for postoperative pain.
- Current safety guidelines and new sedative/analgesic medications are discussed for procedural pain.
Conclusions:
- Safe and effective alleviation of acute pain in pediatric patients is feasible.
- Current standards of care in the United States support robust pediatric pain management.
Abstract:
The author provides practitioners with a summary of recent trends in the management of acute pain in children. This review encompasses pharmacologic techniques as they pertain to two common acutely painful conditions in children: postoperative and procedural pain. In the area of postoperative analgesia, reviewed are the use of regional anesthesia, spinal opioids, alpha-agonists, preemptive analgesia, and patient-controlled analgesia. In the area of procedural pain, current standards for safety guidelines and several recently introduced sedative and analgesic medications are discussed. The author emphasizes that the proper and safe alleviation of acute pain in the pediatric population is not only feasible but is currently the standard of care in the United States.