[The clinical reality of preventive analgesia].

Preemptive analgesia is based on neurophysiological studies suggesting that a nociceptive input may induce a prolonged hyperexcitability of the central nervous system. This plasticity of the nervous system seems to be more easily prevented than treated. The clinical application of preemptive analgesia is not yet possible. Further clinical and fundamental studies using a good methodology are necessary. This article reviews available clinical data with a special interest for anti-inflammatory drugs that the author has personally evaluated.