Patients presenting for vascular surgery usually have concomitant disease processes that may increase the likelihood of adverse outcomes after major surgery. Because of the advanced nature of the underlying medical condition, it is important to optimize postopera tive pain control to adequately control postoperative discomfort, stress response, hypercoagulability, myocar dial ischemia, and graft failure. This article discusses methods of pain control after vascular surgery and their effects on physiology and outcome.
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