Abstract

The study investigated postoperative complications in Iraqi hospitals from January to February 2023 and 2024 using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The study used a cross-sectional study and a qualitative study design to collect data. The study evaluated the severity of pain after surgery, dividing it into mild, moderate, severe, very severe, and unbearable pain. One hundred ten participants, aged 18 or older, were randomly assigned to different groups. The Postoperative Pain Management Scale. In surgical departments, the frequency of assessment of pain intensity ranges from 4 to 8 hours, which depends on the severity of the pain and the effectiveness of pain relief. When deciding on the need for pain relief, it is necessary to focus on the criteria of maximum permissible pain intensity in particular, on the 10-point visual assessment scale. The study evaluated 110 patients, 63.63% women and 36.36% men, with a mean age of 30.1±2.9 years. The majority were from a contributing system and had a middle socio-economic level. They had low alcohol, tobacco, and analgesic drug consumption. Postoperative complications were rare. Variables associated with pain control included marital status, health system, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, type of surgery, risk of surgery, complications, anesthesia, and comorbidities. Nausea was found to be significantly related to pain control. The initial assessment results show that most patients do not achieve pain control within the first 4 hours after surgery, and a lower percentage achieve it within 24 hours. Many patients require analgesics due to the perceived intensity of their pain, which aligns with previous studies. The absence of pain control is attributed to the tramadol and dipyrone dosing regimen rather than the dosage itself. There is a correlation between the lack of pain control and the onset of nausea, possibly linked to the use of opioids. Patient satisfaction is high, and 48.4% of patients who experienced pain 24 hours after surgery did not request analgesics. Factors associated with postoperative pain include VAS, patient gender, and surgery specialty. The study revealed that the institution adeptly handles pain management for the majority of patients experiencing it, and the visual analogue scale efficiently assesses pain levels both before and after treatments