Postoperative Pain Management in children: guidance from the Pain Committee of the European Society for Paediatric Anaesthesiology (ESPA Pain Management Ladder Initiative) Part II

Abstract

The ESPA Pain Management Ladder Initiative is a clinical practice advisory based upon expert consensus supported by the current literature to help ensure a basic standard of perioperative pain management for all children. In 2018 the perioperative pain management of six common pediatric surgical procedures was summarised. The current Pain Management Ladder recommendations focus on five more complex pediatric surgical procedures and suggest basic, intermediate, and advanced pain management methods. The aim of this paper is to encourage best possible pain management practice and to support institutions to create their own pain management concepts according to their financial and human resources due to the diversity of clinical settings in Europe. Furthermore, the authors underline that these recommendations are intended for inpatients only.

Keywords: Analgesics; Nonopioid drugs; Opioids; Pediatrics; Perioperative pain; Regional anesthesia.