Objective:

To address specific educational and practical gaps in perioperative pain management and propose a comprehensive framework for optimal pain management.

Key Findings:

• Up to 80% of surgical patients experience inadequate pain control postoperatively, highlighting a critical area for improvement.
• Multimodal pain management (MMPM) is recommended but lacks standardized application across practices, leading to inconsistent patient experiences.
• Educational deficits in pain management training for medical students and residents contribute to variability in care, necessitating urgent reforms.

Interpretation:

The complexity of postoperative pain management necessitates personalized approaches, which can be implemented through tailored pain management plans and structured education to improve outcomes and reduce opioid reliance.

Limitations:

• Lack of a formal systematic review protocol may limit the comprehensiveness of the literature search, potentially overlooking relevant studies.
• Variability in clinician practices may affect the implementation of recommended pain management strategies, leading to inconsistent patient care.

Conclusion:

A comprehensive and adaptable pain management framework is essential for improving postoperative outcomes and addressing the opioid crisis, with specific recommendations for education and practice standardization.