Pain Management after Cardiac Surgery

Abstract

Postoperative pain relief is one of the most important concerns for patients undergoing cardiac surgery and is one of the most clinically challenging problems for nurses. It is widely recognized that postoperative pain can negatively impact cardiac surgery outcomes, yet recent surveys report only modest success in pain management as patients continue to describe poorly controlled pain and studies report pain as underestimated, undermedicated, and underrelieved. Research in basic and clinical science has advanced the knowledge of pain management following cardiac surgery. However the emergence of fast-track cardiac surgery programs, which includes tracheal extubation within 6 hours of surgery, early ambulation, a shortened intensive care length of stay and hospital discharge within 3 to 5 days presents a challenge to conventional methods of pain management.