Animal Models of Postoperative Pain

Postoperative pain control remains difficult because the current treatments have limited efficacy; many patients experience moderate to severe pain after a variety of surgeries. Recognizing the gap between preclinical models of persistent pain and postsurgical pain, we and others have been interested in trying to better understand the mechanisms of pain caused by incisions, through the development of animal models. Plantar incision is one animal model for human postoperative pain. Models using hairy skin incision, gastrocnemius incision, and tail incision, and models for thoracotomy and abdominal surgery are reviewed. Relevant behaviors in relation to clinical postoperative pain are examined.