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Journal of Surgery and Surgical Reports

ISSN: 2837-8482

Original Research Open Access

Patient perspectives of post-operative acute pain management and the consequences of inadequately managed pain: a mixed-methods study

Vinod Dasa1, Lauren A. Crowder2, Meaghan O’Connor2, Nana Y. Asiedu2, Alexandra J. Feld2, Moeen Panni3, Ann M. Menzie3,*
  • 1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
  • 2IQVIA, Durham, NC, USA
  • 3Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Boston, MA, USA
+ Affiliations - Affiliations

Corresponding Author

Ann M. Menzie; ann_menzie@vrtx.com

Received Date: January 12, 2026

Accepted Date: February 10, 2026

Citation:

Dasa V, Crowder LA, O’Connor M, Asiedu NY, Feld AJ, Panni M, et al. Patient perspectives of post-operative acute pain management and the consequences of inadequately managed pain: a mixed-methods study. J Surg Surg Rep. 2026;3(1):1-10.


Copyright: © 2026 Dasa V, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate patient-reported experiences with post-operative acute pain management, assess unmet needs, and describe impacts of inadequately managed acute pain in the United States.
Methods: This mixed-methods, exploratory sequential study included concept elicitation interviews and a survey of adults who underwent abdominal, orthopedic, plastic, or general surgery within the past 90 days. Interviews were conducted to identify themes, which were used to inform the design of a survey assessing post-operative pain levels; acute pain medication usage, experiences, and behaviors; and impacts of pain on activities of daily living (ADLs), recovery, and work/school productivity. A subgroup analysis examined inadequately managed post-operative acute pain. Healthcare resource utilization was assessed as an exploratory outcome.
Results: Interview participants (n=17) reported impacts of inadequately managed pain on physical functioning, ADLs, sleep, mood/emotions, and recovery. Survey participants (n=323) reported severe pain at Week 2 post-surgery (mean=7.6/10) and moderate pain by Week 4 (mean=3.7/10). Among those who took opioids (95.4%), over 70% reported breakthrough pain. Survey participants expressed hesitancy to take some classes of medications, including opioids, due to concerns about side effects (84.6%) and drug dependence/addiction (36.6%). Participants reporting inadequate pain management (37.8%) indicated severe pain at Week 4 (mean=6.3/10), ongoing limitations in ADLs, interference with physical therapy, and slowed recovery. Many participants also reported frequent, unplanned healthcare utilization.
Conclusions: This research highlights patient-reported challenges with post-operative acute pain management and describes downstream consequences of inadequately managed pain.

Keywords

Post-surgical pain, Pain control, Inadequate analgesia, Patient experience, Pain management, Healthcare resource utilization (HCRU)

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