Frequency and Risk Factors in Persistent Postoperative Postthoracotomy Pain

Authors

  • Greisa Ferrás Menéndes Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras
  • Katia Velázquez González Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras
  • Ricardo Valdés Llerena Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica
  • Obdulia Aguado Barrena Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras

Keywords:

dolor postoperatorio persistente, dolor postoracotomía.

Abstract

Introduction: Persistent postoperative pain is common after thoracic surgery. There are several factors involved in its appearance, some of which are preventable.

Objective: To determine the behavior of chronic postoperative pain in patients undergoing thoracic surgery and the factors that modify it.

Methods: A retrospective descriptive longitudinal study was carried out in patients who underwent thoracic surgery and attended at the anesthesiology and resuscitation Service of Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico Hermanos Ameijeiras. Fifty-one patients who underwent thoracotomy were included.

Results: The female sex was associated with the occurrence of pain three times more than the male sex. Age over 60 years also had a significant impact. The associated psychological factors were anxiety and emotional hypersensitivity. Surgery time was 160-240 min for 47.1 % of the patients. When this was longer, chronic pain occurred to a greater extent. There was no significant relationship with the type of incision or the administration of perioperative opioids. Neuroaxial techniques with ketamine infusion were able to reduce its occurrence significantly.

Conclusions: The female sex and advanced age were more frequently associated with persistent postoperative pain; so were prolonged operative time and the presence of pain since the preoperative. However, the type of incision and the dose of fentanyl were not related to its occurrence. The administration of epidural local anesthetics and intraoperative ketamine infusion achieved better control of persistent postoperative pain than conventional anesthetic techniques.

Keywords: persistent postoperative pain; thoracic surgery; risk factors in pain.

 

 

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Author Biographies

Greisa Ferrás Menéndes, Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras

Especialista de primer grado en Anestesiología, profesora asistente e investigadora agregada. Labora en el servicio de anestesiología desde hace 5 años

Katia Velázquez González, Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras

Doctora en ciencias, profesora e investigadora titular. Especialista de segundo grado en anestesiología y de primer grado en MGI, máster en urgencias médicas. Jefa del servicio de Anestesiología del hospital.

Ricardo Valdés Llerena, Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica

Especialista de segundo grado en Anestesiología, máster en Urgencias Médicas y diplomado en cuidados intensivos. Investigador auxiliar y profesor asistente.  Jefe del grupo funcional de dolor de su hospital

Obdulia Aguado Barrena, Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras

Especialista de segundo grado, investigadora y profesora auxiliar. Labora en el servicio de anestesiología del hospital hace 25 años.

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Published

2025-03-31

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1.
Ferrás Menéndes G, Velázquez González K, Valdés Llerena R, Aguado Barrena O. Frequency and Risk Factors in Persistent Postoperative Postthoracotomy Pain. Rev Cub Anest Rean [Internet]. 2025 Mar. 31 [cited 2025 Apr. 3];24. Available from: https://revanestesia.sld.cu/index.php/anestRean/article/view/2212

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Vol. 24 (2025): Publicación continua

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Copyright (c) 2025 Greisa Ferrás Menéndes, Katia Velázquez González, Ricardo Valdés Llerena, Obdulia Aguado Barrena

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