# Acute Pain Management in a Multi-site Trauma Patient

## TL;DR

This case report shows how peripheral nerve blocks can help manage pain in trauma patients with substance abuse issues, reducing the need for opioids.

## Contribution

The report emphasizes the role of peripheral nerve blocks in multimodal pain management for polytrauma patients with polysubstance abuse.

## Key findings

- Peripheral nerve blocks can decrease opioid consumption in multi-site trauma patients.
- PNBs are effective in managing postoperative pain in patients with poor pain tolerance.
- A multimodal approach is crucial for pain management in trauma patients with substance abuse.

## Abstract

Pain management is often difficult in the setting of multi-site trauma such as that caused by motor vehicle accidents (MVA), which is especially compounded in the setting of polysubstance abuse. This often results in patients with poor pain tolerance requiring escalating doses of opioid therapy, which creates a vicious cycle. The use of peripheral nerve blocks (PNB) has been shown to decrease overall opioid consumption and can be used effectively to manage postoperative pain in this patient population. Our case report aims to highlight the importance of PNBs as part of a multimodal approach to pain management in patients with polytrauma in the setting of polysubstance abuse.