PAIN of short- and long term postoperative recovery

INTRODUCTION
The importance of evaluating patient-reported outcomes of surgical treatment has been emphasized. The Postoperative Recovery Profile (PRP) questionnaire has recently been developed for self-assessment of general recovery after surgery (Figure 1). Here the item variables in the questionnaire patients valued as most important during the recovery process were calculated.

METHOD
158 male and female in-patients ≥ 18 years, undergoing elective lower abdominal surgery (colorectal surgery, radical prostatectomy, abdominal hysterectomy), and orthopedic surgery (knee- and hip arthroplasty), were consecutively included.
Data were collected before surgery, before discharge from hospital, day 10 and months 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 after discharge. On each measurement occasion participants were asked to value 5 of the 19 item variables as most important. 
A ranking list, based on the participant’s appraisal of the 5 most important variables, was compiled to illustrate the rank ordering of the items.

RESULTS
In both study groups pain were ranked as number 1 or 2 at each measurement occasion. Apart from pain, the occurrence of item variables as top 5 varied between the study groups (Table 1).

CONCLUSION
Pain appeared to be the overall most important separate symptom to assess and treat during the progress of the postoperative recovery process, both in a short- and long term perspective.