Should complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) be used for the treatment of postoperative pain following ambulatory surgery?

Abstract

Following arthroscopic shoulder surgery at a multi-specialty ambulatory surgery center (ASC), a patient with a history of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) complained to the anesthesiologist that he was feeling mild postoperative pain. Postoperative pain is a common complaint following shoulder procedures as the joint is heavily innervated and highly vascularized. The patient requested pain relief; he also expressed a desire to continue his recovery at home as originally planned.