Postoperative pain control: Necessity or nicety? An interdisciplinary team approach to pain control for patients undergoing total joint replacement surgery

This study compared clinical outcomes and hospital costs for total knee and total hip arthroplasty patients cared for using a pain protocol team approach care pathway to those cared for using a traditional approach. Record review was completed for 45 cases from the pain protocol group and 45 from the non-pain protocol group.; Reported levels of pain were found to be lower for the pain protocol group in the postanesthesia care unit, on the operative day, and on postoperative days one and two. Patients in the pain protocol group were more likely to receive a regional combination anesthetic. There were few statistically significant differences in terms of side effects and complications from anesthesia and surgery for the two groups. The average length of stay was found to be shorter for pain protocol patients, with fewer patients discharged to a subacute rehabilitation unit. Total hospital costs were lower for the pain protocol group. Study findings support the value of a care protocol and acute pain management service for total joint arthroplasty patients.