Abstract
Recently, the development of persistent postsurgical pain states has received much attention. As a model for understanding persistent postsurgical pain, thoracotomy and its minimal invasive counterpart, video-assisted thoracic surgery, have been investigated. The present article presents recent developments in pathophysiology of post-thoracotomy pain syndrome (PTPS) in regards to pre-, intra-, and postoperative factors. Although the literature is abundant with trials on PTPS, inadequate and inconsistent inclusion of relevant pre-, intra-, and postoperative factors is still problematic. Future trials delineating pain areas and assessing sensory dysfunction support the importance of nerve injury, but other factors are insufficiently investigated. Finally, there is a need for validated detailed procedure-specific questionnaires to assess the function and psychosocial consequences of PTPS.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Techniques in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Pages (from-to) | 83 - 89 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| ISSN | 1084-208X |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2011 |