The Ottawa Hospital Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine (DAPM) Acute Pain Service (APS) is one of a few specialty services that provide consultative support for hospital patients with pain and complex analgesic needs (along with Palliative Care, Substance Use Program and the Rehab Centre Pain Clinic). Our APS program provides APS consultative coverage to the Civic and General campuses for patients with both acute and complex pain needs while admitted to hospital. The Acute Pain Service (APS) multidisciplinary team conducts rounds daily, on a patient population consisting of those with IV PCA pumps, in-situ neuraxial and peripheral catheters, those with IV lidocaine infusion and ketamine infusions.
The acute pain management fellowship offered by the University of Ottawa is unique in the country. During this 12-month fellowship, fellows will acquire experience in the management of acute postoperative pain conditions and other acute painful conditions such as sickle-cell crisis, phantom pain crisis, and will assist in the transition of patients with acute or chronic pain, using a variety of pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic and regional anesthesia-based techniques. Our institution is a pioneer in the use of perioperative inpatient analgesic lidocaine and ketamine infusions, and has established protocols incorporating regional anesthesia techniques for patients with rib fractures, lower limb amputations and hip fractures. The management of a new acute pain consult, and placement of certain peripheral nerve blocks is a fundamental part of the APS experience.
The fellows will acquire the knowledge and skills to lead APS rounds, and understand the requirements for establishing an acute pain program in their respective institutions. The program will serve as a foundational fellowship program for those wishing to further their regional anesthesia skills.