Recommendations

Document Overview

Design and created by Guideline Central in participation with the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine.

Management of Postoperative Pain

American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine

Publication Date: Feb 1, 2016

Page Last Updated: May 5, 2026

Recommendation Grading

Strength of Recommendation		Level of Evidence
1 = Strong	Benefits > Risks Risks > Benefits	A = High	Additional research is considered very unlikely to change confidence in the estimate of the effect.
2 - Weak	Beneﬁts ≈ Risks Quality of evidence precludes accurate assessment of risks and beneﬁts.	B = Moderate	Further research is likely to have an important impact on the estimate of the effect.
2 - Weak		C = Low	Further research is very likely to change the estimate of the effect.

Adapted from Guyatt G, Gutterman D, Baumann MH, Addrizzo-Harris D, Hylek EM, Phillips B, et al. Grading strength of recommendations and quality of evidence in clinical guidelines. Chest 2006;129:174-81.

Document Overview

Document Title: Management of Postoperative Pain

Authoring Society: American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine

Document Publication Date: Feb 1, 2016

Page Last Reviewed/Updated: May 5, 2026

Document Type: Guideline

Country of Publication: United States

Full Text Freely Available: Yes

Full Text Guideline: www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(15)00995-5/fulltext

Source Citation: The Journal of Pain, Vol 17, No 2 (February), 2016: pp 131-157

Document Scope, Criteria, and Use Cases

Document Objectives: Most patients who undergo surgical procedures experience acute postoperative pain, but evidence suggests that less than half report adequate postoperative pain relief. Many preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative interventions and management strategies are available for reducing and managing postoperative pain.

Scope: Management

Diseases/Conditions (MeSH)

D059408 - Pain Management

D059787 - Acute Pain

D013514 - Surgical Procedures, Operative

D010149 - Pain, Postoperative

D059408 - Pain Management

D059787 - Acute Pain

D013514 - Surgical Procedures, Operative

D010149 - Pain, Postoperative

Keywords: Pain Management, acute pain, perioperative

Target Patient Population: patients who undergo invasive procedure

Inclusion Criteria: Male, Female, Adolescent, Adult, Child, Older Adult

Health Care Settings: Ambulatory, Hospital, Operating and Recovery Room, Outpatient

Intended Users: Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Physician, Physician Assistant

Recommendation Development Processes & Methodology

Supplemental Methodology Resource: Data Supplement

Number of Source Documents: 319

Literature Search End Date: Thursday, November 1, 2012

Includes peer/external review process?: Yes

Includes public comment process?: No

Methodologist involvement?: Yes

Patient involvement?: No

Includes multi-disciplinary group?: Yes

Includes systematic review?: Yes

Grades quality of strength of evidence?: Yes

Grades quality of strength of recommendation?: Yes

Discloses funding source?: Yes

Discloses conflicts of interest?: Yes

Includes benefits/harms analysis with recommendations?: No