Techniques for Preemptive Analgesia in Gynecologic Surgery

Study Objective: To provide surgeons with techniques for preemptive analgesia during minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. Postoperative pain management is an important component of patient care after gynecologic surgery. There have been numerous advances in pain management, including studies that show that preoperative administration of analgesics decreases postoperative pain scores and narcotic medication requirements [1–3]. However, there is limited information on the techniques for preemptive analgesia [4,5]. Design: An instructional video showing a variety of preemptive analgesia techniques and the corresponding neuroanatomy (Canadian Task Force classification III). Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board approval was not required for this video article. Setting: Academic Medical Center Interventions: Relevant abdominopelvic neuroanatomy is reviewed. This is followed by a demonstration of the preemptive analgesia techniques based on neuroanatomy principles. Conclusion: Techniques for preemptive analgesia are simple and effective. These tools can be used for patients undergoing gynecologic surgeries via a vaginal or abdominal approach and can help optimize postoperative pain and narcotic usage.