Impact of Analgesia on Bone Fracture Healing

摘要

BONE fractures are painful and, in general, temporarily disabling injuries that occur after trauma or as an end result of various pathologic conditions, such as osteoporosis or bone invading cancer (pathologic fracture). It is common practice for acute pain services to be heavily involved in the treatment of orthopedic patients, and although it is usually understood that fractures are very painful, few studies have directly attempted to measure or define the nature of the pain after a fracture. In addition, controversy exists regarding the effects of analgesics, including opioids and nonsteroidal antiinflam-matory drugs, on skeletal tissue healing. In this issue of Anesthesiology, reports from Freeman et al and Minville etl