Pain management in total knee replacement

Total knee replacement (TKR) is one of the most commonly done surgical procedures, with over 150,000 total knee replacements and THR performed annually in England and Wales in the National Health Service (NHS). In India although clear-cut data is not available but the incidence is increasing. In the US, 431,000 TKRs are performed yearly and the utilization of TKR has increased over the last two decades, especially among younger patients .TKR may be associated with severe post-operative pain. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) has defined pain as “an unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage”. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has made adequate pain management a priority and has deemed monitoring pain as the “fifth” vital sign.