When you are under the care of the Acute Pain Service (APS), our primary goal is to make your recovery as smooth, safe, and comfortable as possible. You can expect to see a specialized team of experts—including anesthesia personnel, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists—who work alongside your primary surgical team to create a personalized “multimodal” pain plan. This means we don’t just rely on one type of medicine; instead, we combine various techniques, such as nerve blocks, non-opioid medications, and specialized therapies, to target pain from multiple angles while minimizing side effects like grogginess or nausea.
Common Procedures
- Nerve Blocks (The “Targeted Numbing” Injection) Think of this like the numbing injection you get at the dentist, but for a different part of your body. We use an ultrasound to find the specific nerve sending pain signals from your surgical site and inject a numbing medication nearby to “flick the switch” off for several hours or even days.
- Epidurals (The “Lower Body” Shield) Commonly used for chest or abdominal surgeries, a tiny, flexible tube (catheter) is placed near the nerves in your back. It delivers a steady flow of numbing medication, creating a “shield” of comfort across your midsection while allowing you to stay awake and alert.
- PCA Pumps (The “Button” System) PCA stands for Patient-Controlled Analgesia. We provide you with a safe, computerized pump attached to your IV. When you feel pain, you press a button to receive a small, pre-set dose of medication. The system is programmed with strict limits so you can get relief instantly without the risk of taking too much.
- Continuous Nerve Catheters (The “Long-Term” Numbness) For some major surgeries, we don’t just give a one-time injection; we leave a tiny, soft tube (thinner than a spaghetti noodle) near the nerve. This tube is connected to a small portable pump that provides a “slow drip” of numbing medicine for a few days, even after you leave the recovery room.
- Lidocaine or Ketamine Infusions (The “Reset” IV) Sometimes we use specialized medications delivered through your IV at very low doses. Instead of just “masking” pain, these medicines help stabilize overactive pain receptors and can reduce the need for heavy doses of opioids.