Role of Intravenous Acetaminophen in Postoperative Pain Management

Abstract

SUMMARY The need to safely treat the postoperative pain of patients is apparent. Opioids, although effective, have multiple morbidities associated with their use. A multimodal approach to postoperative pain management can serve to minimize the undesirable effects of opioids. Intravenous acetaminophen (paracetamol) has recently become available in the USA where many practitioners are not familiar with this drug. This article reviews the history, pharmacology and clinical uses of intravenous acetaminophen in the treatment of perioperative pain.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank P Seidner for her help in the preparation of this manuscript.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

SB Groudine has received research funding and is on the Speaker‘s Bureau of Cadence Pharmaceutical. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

SB Groudine has received research funding and is on the Speaker‘s Bureau of Cadence Pharmaceutical. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.