The British journal of surgery
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Acute postoperative pain is common. Nearly 20 per cent of patients experience severe pain in the first 24 h after surgery, a figure that has remained largely unchanged in the past 30 years. This review aims to present key considerations for postoperative pain management. ⋯ Adequate perioperative pain management is integral to patient care and outcomes. Each of the biological, psychological and social dimensions of the pain experience should be considered and understood in order to provide optimum pain management in the postoperative setting.