Overview
Thoracotomy is frequently performed in thoracic surgery. It is widely accepted that thoracotomy causes severe acute pain. Many factors such as postoperative analgesia treatment plan, operation time, number of chest tubes, and duration of chest tube stay can affect acute pain. This acute pain prolongs the discharge time of the patients and increases the frequency of postoperative pulmonary complications and postoperative morbidity. Postoperative acute pain may cause chronic thoracotomy pain in the later period, and may adversely affect the quality of life of the patients.
This study aims to analyze the symptoms of chronic pain in the 3rd and 6th months postoperatively in patients who had undergone thoracotomy.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age between 18 and 65 years
- American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-II-III
- Body mass index (BMI) between 18-35 kg/m2
- Patients undergoing elective thoracotomy
Exclusion Criteria:
- Advanced cancer
- History of chronic analgesic therapy
- Patients with previous thoracic surgery
- Patients who were operated under emergency conditions