The final instalment of our series "Perioperative Pain Management" is a panel discussion where we answer the question: What are the various challenges and strategies in managing perioperative pain, particularly with regard to opioid use?

The discussion covers the complexities of opioid de-escalation in preoperative periods, the benefits and risks of opioid-free anesthesia, and the use of multimodal approaches. We also touch on the coordination of patient care across multiple specialties and the impact of intraoperative practices on postoperative pain management and long-term opioid use. The session emphasizes the importance of patient education, consistent communication, and empowered collaboration among healthcare providers.

The speakers on the panel are; Tim Miller, Professor of Anesthesiology at Duke University Medical Center, Fauzia Hasnie, Consultant Lead, Opioid Multidisciplinary Pain Management Clinic, Joint Lead, Combined Sickle-Opioid Virtual Multidisciplinary Clinic Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, and Esteban Salas Rezola, Specialist in Anaesthesiology, Resuscitation and Pain Therapy at Hospital General Alicante.

Chaired by John Whittle, Clinical Academic working in Perioperative Translational Medicine at UCL and Honorary Consultant in Perioperative Medicine, Anaesthesia and Critical Care at University College Hospitals London.

The three presentations which accompany this piece are here:

https://topmedtalk.libsyn.com/perioperative-pain-management-the-opioid-epidemic-and-opioid-reduction-strategies

https://topmedtalk.libsyn.com/perioperative-pain-management-opioid-reduction-service

https://topmedtalk.libsyn.com/perioperative-pain-management-opioid-sparing-analgesia-strategies-guided-by-nol-index