New research published in the June issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that a risk calculator developed by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) can help surgeons provide patients with more detailed and accurate preoperative information about the risk of death and complications following colorectal surgery. The tool will also allow surgeons to adjust risk probabilities for patients based on their hospital's performance during prior years.

Although suboptimal postoperative pain control is associated with cardiovascular, respiratory and gastrointestinal complications, many multimodal regimens for analgesia following major colorectal laparotomy provide inadequate pain relief.