OBJECTIVE: To study the common methods of analgesia and their effectiveness in post-operative @entity1 and to assess the occurrence of common post-operative complications related to @entity158 . DESIGN: A prospective descriptive study. SETTINGS: Three general surgical wards and one cardiothoracic ward at the Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, between 1st September 1996 and 30th November 1996. @entity1 : One hundred and six adult @entity1 admitted in the hospital for thoracotomy and/or laparotomy over a period of three months. RESULTS: Overall, 60% of the @entity1 did not achieve adequate @entity158 relief during the first 72 hours after surgery. Age, sex, weight, drug and type of operation did not influence @entity158 score significantly. All but two @entity1 were not prepared psychologically about expectations after surgery. Over ninety seven per cent received @entity6882 while 2.8% had @entity1286 . The drugs were prescribed and administered with too little attention to the @entity1 ' s response and too much concern about adverse effects and @entity4784 . CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the standard of post-operative @entity158 relief is poor. @entity1 need to be told more about what to expect (and demand). The medical and nursing staff need further education in how to prescribe and administer analgesia with reference to individual drug response. Other more effective methods of @entity158 control should be introduced.

Post-operative management of XXXX following major abdominal and thoracic operations.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients', 'patient', 'PATIENTS'] @entity4784 :: ('MESH:D009293', 'Disease') :: ['narcotic addiction'] @entity6882 :: ('MESH:D008614', 'Chemical') :: ['pethidine'] @entity1286 :: ('MESH:D009020', 'Chemical') :: ['morphine'] @entity158 :: ('MESH:D010146', 'Disease') :: ['pain']
@entity158 :: (MESH:D010146,Disease) :: ['pain']
