Book excerpt: Largely reorganised and much expanded in this second edition, Practice and Procedures brings together in a single volume general methods of pain assessment and presents the wide range of therapies that can be provided by a range of health care disciplines. Authored by a multidisciplinary team of experts, chapters can stand alone for readers looking for a general overview of the methods of techniques for pain management available to them or work to complement chapters in the preceeding three volumes, providing practical procedures and applications in the management of acute, chronic and cancer pain. The book is divided into three parts. Part One covers the principles of measurement and diagnosis, including history taking and examination, the selection of pain measures, diagnostic tests and novel imaging techniques. Part Two discusses the full range of therapeutic protocols available, from pharmacological therapies, through psychological techniques, physical therapy and international procedures, to techniques specific to pain assessment and management in paediatric patients. Part Three provides information on planning, conducting, analysing and publishing clinical trials, with invaluable guidance on the techniques of systematic review and meta-analysis in pain research. Part Four considers the role of multidisciplinary pain management teams, their organization, their place within different health care systems, and how best to manage change when implementing such a service. Part Five concludes the volume, investigating the use of guidelines, standards and quality improvement initiatives in the management of post-operative pain, and discussing the expert medicolegal report.