An Australian document now has an important role in acute pain management worldwide
More than 50% of patients continue to have severe pain after surgery and trauma.1 This situation not only results in unnecessary suffering, but occurs despite evidence that inadequate treatment of acute pain increases the risk of postoperative complications and may lead to persistent (chronic) pain. Indeed, operations and injuries are considered to contribute to at least 25% of the burden of chronic pain.1
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- 1 Royal Adelaide Hospital and University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA.
- 2 Univerity of Western Australia and Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA.
- 3 St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC.
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