Postoperative local administration of nanomedicine

Novel approaches for the management of postoperative pain and wound healing are needed. Most patients who undergo surgery experience acute postoperative pain, but for approximately 10% of patients, the pain becomes chronic. The increasing reliance on opioids has been associated with the rising epidemic of opioid misuse and abuse. Also, the incidence of postoperative nosocomial infection and the resistance of pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics has become a significant health issue. For a few decades, nanomedicines have demonstrated their potential for the treatment of several pathologies in preclinical studies, but so far only a few have been approved in the clinic for the treatment of pain. More recently, nanomaterials have been developed and optimized for drug delivery through the nonparenteral routes. In this chapter, nonparenteral nanomedicines used for the treatment of postoperative pain are presented, as well as the nanoparticles develop to reduce the risk of infection and promote wound healing.