[Organization of services for treatment of postoperative pain--3-year experience]

We report organisation principles and three year experience of Acute Pain Service in general surgery clinic. 481 patients were treated after abdominal and vascular interventions, hemorrhoidal varices and mammectomies. Continuous epidural, combined spinal-epidural, intrapleural anaesthesia and continuous brachial plexus block were used for pain control. Time of analgesia varied from 1 to 4 days. The level of analgesia was assessed as good (VAS 3) in 94.8% of cases. Complications were mainly technical due to catheter or antibacterial filter failure. In 2% of cases cardiovascular complications were observed. Respiratory depression occurred in 1 patient. The work of APS team was assessed as very good by both surgeons and patients.