Anesth Analg 2008; 106:354-355
© 2008 International Anesthesia Research Society
doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000299047.30253.D7
BOOK AND MULTIMEDIA REVIEWS
Postoperative Pain Therapy: An Update. In Best Practice & Research Clinical Anaesthesiology, Vol. 21, No. 1 (March 2007)
Martin S. Angst, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesia, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, ang{at}stanford.edu
Postoperative Pain Therapy: An Update. In Best Practice & Research Clinical Anaesthesiology, Vol. 21, No. 1 (March 2007)
Pogatzki-Zahn E, Zahn P, eds. New York: Elsevier, 2007. ISBN 1521-6896. 159 pages, $198.00 annual subscription for four issue or $71.00 for a single issue.
Best Practice & Research is a periodical that aims to cover pertinent clinical topics by integrating the results of the latest original research into a practice-oriented, evidenced-based review emphasizing patient management. This issue highlights facets of postoperative pain management, a very timely and relevant topic. Despite recent progress in pain management, a substantial number of patients continue to suffer from moderate to severe pain after surgery. Inadequately treated pain not only causes personal suffering, but also increases the risk of short- and long-term complications after surgery. Recently, it has become clear that adequate postoperative pain control is a critical component of any integrated effort directed towards the optimal rehabilitation of patients after surgery.
This issue is an update that places emphasis on 10 selected topics and does not intend to provide a comprehensive review on postoperative pain therapy. The reader will find separate review articles discussing the role of non-opioid and adjuvant drugs for postoperative pain management, preemptive analgesia, opioid-induced hyperalgesia, the impact of postoperative pain on surgical outcome, and the management of the elderly and of patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. An opening and closing article point to the clinical significance of basic research and delineate future strategies. Review articles are written by different authors who are mostly physician scientists with relevant expertise in respective fields. Best Practice & Research is indexed in PubMed, and individual reviews can be accessed through this data base.
The review articles provide ample and current information that is backed by extensive reference lists. As such, this publication provides a useful overview of current knowledge and is certainly a suitable source document for the interested reader. However, the authors of individual review articles spent variable effort on synthesizing and integrating presented information. As a result, some, but not all, articles provide a framework that facilitates prioritizing forwarded information and extracting practical concepts relevant for patient management. Good examples are the articles on the clinical implication of basic research on postoperative pain and the article about the role of non-opioids for postoperative pain management. Other articles leave it mostly to the reader to evaluate provided information and to determine how this information may best be implemented into clinical practice. In this respect, the chapter on useful adjuvants for postoperative pain management and the chapter addressing the question whether preemptive analgesia is needed for the treatment of postoperative pain may be particularly demanding.
It is the format of Best Practice & Research to feature invited review articles that neither undergo peer-review nor follow a specific matrix to identify pertinent original research. As a result, individual articles reflect an author’s methodological approach and topical view. Many facts and concepts forwarded in this volume of Best Practice & Research are broadly accepted and are echoed elsewhere in the literature. However, some offer perspectives that may not be as readily accepted. For example, the view that inadequate postoperative pain control despite rapid opioid-titration may indicate onset of opioid-induced hyperalgesia and, as such, may necessitate dose reduction is quite controversial (review 3). Similarly, the statement that paracetamol does not offer additional pain control when added to a NSAID is likely too general and may only apply if the rectal or oral rout of administration are considered (review 7).
In summary, this volume of Best Practice & Research is a useful resource giving access to relevant topical knowledge in the field of postoperative pain management. A reader interested in identifying how recent research findings may best be integrated into clinical practice will find that some, but not all, articles offer such perspective.
LIST OF BOOKS RECEIVED FOR ANESTHESIA & ANALGESIA
Receipt of the books listed below is acknowledged. Selected books from this list will be reviewed in future issues of the Journal.
The Journal solicits reviews of new books from its readers. If you wish to submit a review, before proceeding please send a letter of intent, identifying the book in question, to Dr. Norig Ellison, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. The Journal reserves the right of inal decision on publication.
Brambrink AM, Kirsch J (ed): NEUROSURGICAL ANESTHESIA AND CRITICAL CARE, Vol. 25, No. 3 in Anesthesiology Clinics, Saunders/Elsevier, Phila., 2007. ISSN 1932-2275. 308 pages, $184 subscription for four issues or $84.00 for a single issue.
Bready LL, Dillman D, Noorily SH (eds): DECISIONMAKING IN ANESTHESIOLOGY, An Algorithmic Approach, Mosby/Elsevier, Phila., 2007. ISBN 978-0-323-03938-3. 638 pages, $119.00.
Burch TM, Grebanh, Zvara DA: CONQUER THE PTE EXAM, Saunders/Elsevier, Phila., 2007. 13:978-1-4160-3833-7. 538 pages, $79.95.
Gravlee GP, Davis RF, Stammers AH, Ungerleider RM (eds): CARDIOPULMONARY BYPASS PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE, 3rd Edition, Wolters Kluer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Phila., 2007. ISBN 13:978-0-7817-6815-3. 783 pages, $?.
Hagerg CA (ed): BENUMOF’S AIRWAY MANAGEMENT, 2nd ed., Mosby/Elsevier, 2007. ISBN 13:978-0-323-02233-0. 1320 pages, $179.00.
Lobato EB, Gravenstein N, Kirby RR (eds): COMPLICATIONS IN ANESTHESIOLOGY, 3rd ed., Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams Wilkins, 2007. ISBN 978-0-7817-8263-0. 1007 pages, $159.00.
Manchikanti L, Singh V: INTERVENTIONAL TECHNIQUES IN CHRONIC SPINAL PAIN, Amer. Soc. Interventional Pain Physicians, Puducah, KY, 2007. CD.
Newman MF, Fleisher LA, Fink MP (eds): PERIOPERATIVE MEDICINE, MANAGING FOR OUTCOME, Saunders/Elsevier, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4160-2456-9. 723 pages, $179.00.
Oxorn DC, Otto CM: ATLUS OF INTRAOPERATIVE ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, SURGICAL AND RADIOLOGIC CONSIDERATIONS, Saunders/Elsevier, Phila., 2007. ISBN 13:978-0-7216-5356-3. 426 pages, $?.
Papadokos PJ, Lachmann B (eds): MECHANICAL VENTILATION, CLINICAL APPLICATIONS AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, Saunders/Elsevier, Phila., 2007. ISBN 978-0-7216-0186-1. 665 pages, $149.00
Ramamurthy S, Rogers JN, Alanmanon E (eds): DECISION MAKING IN MANAGEMENT, 2nd ed., Mosby/Elsevier, 2006. ISBN 13:978-0-323-01974-3. 366 pages, $82.00.
Sidebotham D, McKee A, Gillhan M, Levy JH (eds): CARDIOTHORACIC CRITICAL CARE, Butterworth Heinemann/Elseview, 2007. ISBN 970-0-750-7572-7. 651 pages, $89.00.
Stoelting RK, Miller RD (eds): BASICS OF ANESTHESIA, 5th ed., Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier, Phila., 2006. ISBN-13:978-0-443-06801-0. 697 pages, $79.95.
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