Dr. Sinatra is Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. Dr. Torres is Resident, Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine. ...Dr. Bustos is Resident, Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine.
Reprint requests: Dr. Sinatra, Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8051.
Several recently developed analgesic techniques effectively control pain after major orthopaedic surgery. Neuraxial analgesia provided by epidural and spinal administration of local anesthetics and opioids provides the highest level of pain control; however, such therapy is highly invasive and labor intensive. Neuraxial analgesia is contraindicated in patients receiving low-molecular-weight heparin. Continuous plexus and peripheral neural blockades offer excellent analgesia without the side effects associated with neuraxial and parenteral opioids. Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia allows patients to titrate analgesics in amounts proportional to perceived pain stimulus and provide improved analgesic uniformity. Oral sustained-release opioids offer superior pain control and greater convenience than short-duration agents provide. Opioid dose requirements may be reduced by coadministration of COX-2type nonsteroidal analgesics.
