Chronic pain after posterolateral and axillary approaches to lung surgery: a monocentric observational study.

PURPOSE: Post-thoracotomy pain syndrome (PTPS) and chronic postsurgical neuropathic pain (CPNP) were evaluated 4 months after thoracic surgery whether the approach was a posterolateral (PL) incision or the less invasive axillary (AX) one. METHODS: Patients, 79 in each group, undergoing a thoracotomy between July 2014 and November 2015 were analyzed 4 months after surgery in this prospective monocentric cohort study. RESULTS: More PL patients suffered PTPS (60.8% vs. 40.5%; p = 0.017) but CPNP was equally present (45.8% and 46.9% in the PL and AX groups). Patients with PTPS have more limited daily activities (p < 0.001) but a similar psychological disability (i.e., catastrophism). Patients with CPNP have an even greater limitation of daily activities (p = 0.007) and more catastrophism (p = 0.0002). Intensity of pain during mobilization of the homolateral shoulder at postoperative day 6 (OR = 1.40, CI 95% [1.13-1.75], p = 0.002); age (OR = 0.97 [0.94-1.00], p = 0.022), and presence of pain before surgery (OR = 2.22 [1.00-4.92], p = 0.049) are related to the occurrence of PTPS; while, height of hypoesthesia area on the breast line measured 6 days after surgery is the only factor related to that of CPNP (OR = 1.14 [1.01-1.30], p = 0.036). CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive surgery was associated with less frequent PTPS, but with equal risk of CPNP. Pain before surgery and its postoperative intensity are associated with PTPS. This must lead to a more aggressive care of pain patients before surgery and of a better management of postoperative pain. CPNP can be forecasted according to the early postoperative height of hypoesthesia area on the breast line.

Feasibility and Usefulness of Self-Hypnosis in Patients Undergoing Double-Lung Transplantation During the Pre- and Postoperative Periods: A Randomized Study.

OBJECTIVE: Hypnosis can reduce pain and anxiety in surgical patients. This study aimed to demonstrate that implementing self-hypnosis in the setting of lung transplantation could improve patients' pain and quality of life. DESIGN: A randomized, single-center study. SETTING: Foch University Hospital, Suresnes, France. PARTICIPANTS: The participants were patients aged 15 years or older who needed a double-lung transplant. Patients were excluded if they participated in only 1 learning self-hypnosis session before transplantation. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were included at the time of their final evaluation before inscription on the waiting list. They were taught self-hypnosis at this time and were asked to perform it by themselves before and after transplantation, as frequently as possible. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The main outcome of the study was self-reported pain 1 month after lung transplantation. Secondary outcomes were self-reported pain, anxiety, coping, catastrophism, and self-reported quality of life evaluated at their registration, 7 days and 1 and 4 months after the transplantation. Seventy-eight patients were included, but only 28 patients in the control group and 33 in the self-hypnosis group were evaluated at the fourth postoperative month. Practice of self-hypnosis was high before transplantation (76.6%), lower after, from 32.3% in the intensive care unit to 51.6% during the last 3 months of the study. Group-time interactions were not statistically significant whatever the concerned outcome, especially pain score at 1 month (p = 0.16). CONCLUSION: Implementation of self-hypnosis is possible, but the study failed to demonstrate an improvement in patients' experience, perhaps due to the variable compliance with the technique.

Prevalence, Characteristics and Preoperative Predictors of Chronic Pain After Double-Lung Transplantation: A Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Data on chronic pain after lung transplantation are heterogeneous. This study prospectively explored the prevalence, characteristics, consequences, and preoperative predictors of pain in lung transplant recipients. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. SETTING: The Foch University Hospital, Suresnes, France. PARTICIPANTS: Patients registered on the waiting list for double-lung transplantation in the authors' institution from August 2008 to October 2013 and transplanted. INTERVENTIONS: Database prospectively completed in real time during consultations with a pain-certified anesthesiologist before lung transplantation and six months after surgery. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The assessments explored pain in three components: physical (intensity, location, neuropathic and sensory qualifications, treatments), mental (anxiety and depression), and quality of life. Seventy-two patients underwent all assessments. The prevalence of six-month postoperative pain was 68.0%. Among patients with pain, 83.3% reported mild average pain and 26.5% had neuropathic pain. All patients who responded to the questionnaire took analgesics frequently, but only 9.1% took opioids. Patients with pain reported higher levels of anxiety (p = 0.02) and depression (p = 0.01). Additionally, they presented with increased difficulty in ambulation (p = 0.03), work (p = 0.02), and sleep (p = 0.02). The maximum level of preoperative pain was an independent risk factor of six-month postoperative pain (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The authors report a high prevalence of chronic pain with concomitant psychosocial repercussions despite a reported mild intensity. Perioperative measures, such as personalized and detailed management plans, could improve patient satisfaction.

Does a hypnosis session reduce the required propofol dose during closed-loop anaesthesia induction?: A randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hypnosis has a positive effect on peri-operative anxiety and pain. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a formal deep hypnosis session on the consumption of propofol for anaesthetic induction using automated administration of propofol guided by the bispectral index (BIS) in a closed loop. DESIGN: A 1 : 1 randomised, usual-care-controlled, single-centre trial. SETTING: Tertiary care centre in France from April 2014 to December 2015. PATIENTS: Female adult patients scheduled for outpatient gynaecological surgery under general anaesthesia. INTERVENTION: Before surgery, patients were randomised to receive either a deep hypnosis session or routine care. Anaesthetic induction was performed automatically by propofol without opioids and was assisted by the BIS in a closed loop. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary endpoint was the propofol dose required for anaesthesia induction, defined as a BIS less than 60 for at least 30 s. RESULTS: Data for 31 patients in the hypnosis group and 35 in the control group were analysed. There was no evidence of a difference in the mean required propofol dose for anaesthetic induction between the hypnosis and the control groups (2.06 mg kg (95% confidence interval [1.68 to 2.43]) versus 1.79 mg kg (95% CI [1.54 to 2.03]), P = 0.25, respectively). CONCLUSION: The current study, which was designed to determine the effect of a deep hypnosis session on anaesthesia induction using an automated tool for propofol administration, failed to detect a difference in the required dose of propofol. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02249364.

Epidural Hematoma and Abscess Related to Thoracic Epidural Analgesia: A Single-Center Study of 2,907 Patients Who Underwent Lung Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To report the major complications (epidural hematoma and abscess) of postoperative thoracic epidural analgesia in patients who underwent lung surgery. DESIGN: Prospective, monocentric study. SETTING: A university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: All lung surgical patients who received postoperative thoracic epidural analgesia between November 2007 and November 2015. INTERVENTIONS: Thoracic epidural analgesia for patients who underwent lung surgery. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: During the study period, data for 2,907 patients were recorded. The following 3 major complications were encountered: 1 case of epidural hematoma (0.34 case/1,000; 95% confidence interval 0.061-1.946), for which surgery was performed, and 2 cases of epidural abscesses (0.68 case/1,000; 95% confidence interval 0.189-2.505), which were treated medically. CONCLUSIONS: The risk range of serious complications was moderate; only the patient who experienced an epidural hematoma also experienced permanent sequelae.

Auriculotherapy in prevention of migraine attacks: an open randomized trial.

Use of auriculotherapy to prevent episodic migraine pain has seldom been reported. The aim of this open study was to show that three sessions of auriculotherapy, 1 month apart, using semi-permanent needles decrease frequency and intensity of an attack in patients presenting episodic migraine. A total of 90 patients were randomized to the treatment group (AUR group, n = 58) or the control group (C group, n = 32). Four patients dropped out during the study (three in the AUR group and one in the C group). The number of days with migraine and non-migraine headache was similar when the analysis focused on the 3 months of the study or on the difference in each group of this number between the 3 months preceding the inclusion and the 3 months of the study (p = 0.123). AUR group patients had fewer days with non-migraine headache (p = 0.011) and took less Triptans (p = 0.045) than group C. Number of days with migraine, sum of the pain intensities of all migraines and non-migraine headaches, and total number of analgesics taken, other than triptan, were similar between groups. MIDAS score decreased with time in the AUR group while it increased in the C group whether in absolute values (p = 0.035) or as categories (p = 0.037). These contrasted results should lead to further study of the effectiveness of auriculotherapy for the prevention of migraine. Clinical trail registration: Protocol registered on the Clinicaltrials.gov, website (January 30, 2017, NCT03036761).

Complementary Therapy Learning in the Setting of Lung Transplantation: A Single-Center Observational Study of Appropriation and Efficacy.

Transplanted patients could benefit from complementary techniques. This prospective single-center, open study, performed in a tertiary university hospital, evaluates the appropriation and efficacy of a toolbox-kit of complementary techniques. Self-hypnosis, sophrology, relaxation, holistic gymnastics, and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) were taught to adult patients scheduled for double-lung transplantation. Patients were asked to use them before and after transplantation, as needed. The primary outcome was appropriation of each technique within the first three postoperative months. Secondary outcomes included efficacy on pain, anxiety, stress, sleep, and quality-of-life. Among the 80 patients included from May 2017 to September 2020, 59 were evaluated at the 4th postoperative month. Over the 4359 sessions performed, the most frequent technique used before surgery was relaxation. After transplantation, the techniques most frequently used were relaxation and TENS. TENS was the best technique in terms of autonomy, usability, adaptation, and compliance. Self-appropriation of relaxation was the easiest, while self-appropriation of holistic gymnastics was difficult but appreciated by patients. In conclusion: the appropriation by patients of complementary therapies such as mind-body therapies, TENS and holistic gymnastics is feasible in lung transplantation. Even after a short training session, patients regularly practiced these therapies, mainly TENS and relaxation.

Early Postoperative Pain Trajectories after Posterolateral and Axillary Approaches to Thoracic Surgery: A Prospective Monocentric Observational Study.

Less-invasive thoracotomies may reduce early postoperative pain. The aims of this study were to identify pain trajectories from postoperative days 0-5 after posterolateral and axillary thoracotomies and to identify potential factors related to the worst trajectory. Patients undergoing a posterolateral (92 patients) or axillary (89 patients) thoracotomy between July 2014 and November 2015 were analyzed in this prospective monocentric cohort study. The best-fitting model resulted in four pain trajectory groups: trajectory 1, the "worst", with 29.8% of the patients with permanent significant pain; trajectory 2 with patients with low pain (32.6%); trajectory 3 with patients with a steep decrease in pain (22.7%); and trajectory 4 with patients with a steep increase (14.9%). According to a multinomial logistic model multivariable analysis, some predictive factors allow for differentiation between trajectory groups 1 and 2. Risk factors for permanent pain are the existence of preoperative pain (OR = 6.94, CI 95% (1.54-31.27)) and scar length (OR = 1.20 (1.05-1.38)). In contrast, ASA class III is a protective factor in group 1 (OR = 0.02 (0.001-0.52)). In conclusion, early postoperative pain can be characterized by four trajectories and preoperative pain is a major factor for the worst trajectory of early postoperative pain.

Effects of a Single Application of ScenarTM, a Low-Frequency Modulated Electric Current Therapy, for Pain Relief in Patients with Low Back and Neck Pain: A Randomized Single Blinded Trial.

We aimed to demonstrate the antalgic effectiveness of ScenarTM (Self-Controlled Electro Neuro Adaptative Regulation) in patients experiencing low back and neck pain. Sixty patients were included and equally assigned by randomization to a Scenar-On group and to a Scenar-Off group (sham group). All patients received a 20 min application of ScenarTM on the area where they experienced pain. The pain at rest and during movement and the sensation of stiffness were assessed using a numeric rating scale at baseline, immediately after the session and 24 h after the session. The patients' characteristics at entry were similar between groups. The pain at rest decreased after the session in both groups (from 8 (4) to 5.0 (3) in the Scenar-Off group, p = 0.0001, and from 7 (3) to 4 (4) in the Scenar-On group, p < 0.0001). The difference was not statistically significant for the groups (p = 0.22). Similar results were observed during movement, but the sensation of stiffness was not modified. Such beneficial results did not last until the next day. No undesirable major effects were noticed. Our study does not support the fact that one ScenarTM session improves low back and neck pain better than a sham session.

Knowledge and use of complementary therapies in a tertiary care hospital in France: A preliminary study.

Few studies have clarified the use of complementary therapies (CTs) in France. The main objective of this preliminary study was to evaluate knowledge of CTs in 4 representative groups of patients: patients suffering from cancer, patients presenting with a chronic noncancerous disease, chronic dialysis patients and nonchronic or cancerous patients needing surgery.A formalized questionnaire was designed by 2 psychologists, an oncologist and an anesthesiologist in charge of the Pain Clinic and Support Care Unit. One-hundred eleven patients were enrolled, and all agreed to complete the questionnaire.Eighty (72%) patients did not know the term "complementary therapies" (patients who were "not aware of CTs"), and 24 (21.6%) patients knew the term "complementary therapies" (patients who were "aware of CTs"), while 7 patients were not sure of the meaning. There were no differences between aware and unaware patients in gender (P = .27), age (P = .24), level of education (p = 0.24) or professional occupation (P = .06). Knowledge about CTs was significantly different among the different categories of patients (P = .03), with the only statistically significant difference between groups being between oncologic patients receiving ambulatory chemotherapy and patients presenting with a chronic noncancerous disease (P = .004).This preliminary study clearly highlights that patients and health caregivers are not aware of CTs and that there is a need for better communication about CTs.

A French version of Ringsted's questionnaire on pain-related impairment of daily activities after lung surgery: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The questionnaire from Ringsted et al. (RQ) assesses the consequences on daily activities of a post-thoracotomy pain syndrome. Our study aimed at translating the RQ into French and to validate its metrological properties. METHODS: Four months after thoracotomy, 134 patients participating in a prospective comparative study of two surgical thoracotomy approaches (axillary and posterolateral) scored the translated questionnaire. The sensitivity of this version was assessed by comparing scores from patients complaining of pain to that of non-complainers. Concurrent validity was assessed using ratings from direct questions on pain, mood, anxiety and enjoyment of life. Homogeneity was assessed with Crombach's coefficient and dimensionality with PCA. RESULTS: A scoring system was devised to homogenise pain-related impairment with activities that were never performed before surgery and activities that had to be abandoned due to pain. The French version is bi-dimensional: routine activities (carrying heavy loads, raising the arms above the head, housework, getting out of bed, car driving, lying on the operated side, coughing, sitting for half an hour) are opposed to running, walking 1 km, climbing stairs, bending knees, standing for half an hour, swimming and cycling; both these factors contribute independently to the global score. Global and factor scores are sensitive to presence of pain while direct questions account for 20 to 50 % of the information provided by the questionnaire. CONCLUSION: The French version of the RQ is suitable to assess chronic repercussions of lung surgery on the ability of patients to perform their daily activities.

Auriculotherapy in the prevention of postoperative urinary retention in patients with thoracotomy and thoracic epidural analgesia: A randomized, double-blinded trial.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic epidural analgesia is associated with a high rate of postoperative urine retention (POUR). Auriculotherapy can reduce visceral dysfunction and can be helpful in anesthesiology and pain control. The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of preoperative auriculotherapy to decrease the occurrence of POUR. METHODS: This single-center, double-blinded, 2-arm randomized study was performed between January 2015 and May 2016 in a tertiary care university hospital. Male patients scheduled for an elective lung surgical procedure under combined general anesthesia and thoracic epidural analgesia were included. Auriculotherapy (A group) was performed once the patient was under general anesthesia with 5 semi-permanent needles inserted in both ears at the "Shen Men" "bladder", "pelvic parasympathetic", "anterior hypothalamus", and "frontal lobe" points. Five small round patches of adhesive pads were positioned bilaterally at the same points in the control group (C group). The main outcome measure was the requirement for bladder catheterization during the day and the first night following surgery. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients were randomized and 25 analyzed in each group. Requirement for bladder catheterization was different between groups: 24 C group patients (96%) and 18 A group patients (72%) (P = .049, Fisher exact test; Odds Ratio = 0.11 [0.01-0.95]. The number of patients needed to treat with auriculotherapy to avoid 1 case of bladder catheterization was 4. No adverse effect was observed due to auriculotherapy. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that auriculotherapy is a safe and useful technique reducing POUR in thoracotomy patients benefiting from thoracic epidural analgesia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02290054 (November 13, 2014).

Closed-loop control of consciousness during lung transplantation: an observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if propofol infusion can be steered automatically by using bispectral index (BIS) as a controller during lung transplantation. DESIGN: A prospective study of patients undergoing lung transplantation. SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty consecutive patients scheduled for bilateral (n = 14) or single (n = 6) lung transplantation. INTERVENTIONS: The goal of the closed-loop administration of propofol was to maintain the BIS value between 40 and 60 during the maintenance phase. The remifentanil infusion was adjusted according to standard clinical practice. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The closed-loop system was able to provide anesthesia maintenance for all patients. Cardiopulmonary bypass was used in 5 patients, and 14 patients received a thoracic epidural catheter. The BIS value was maintained between 40 and 60 during 84% +/- 16% of the maintenance phase. Eleven patients were extubated in the operating room, and 1 patient needed reintubation. CONCLUSION: Closed-loop control of consciousness by a computer during lung transplantation is clinically feasible.

Randomized study of the impact of a therapeutic education program on patients suffering from chronic low-back pain who are treated with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.

BACKGROUND: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is often used for the treatment of low-back pain (LBP). However, its effectiveness is controversial. OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of TENS in the treatment LBP when associated to a therapeutic education program (TEP). DESIGN: Open randomized monocentric study. SETTING: University hospital between 2010 and 2014. PATIENTS: A total of 97 patients suffering from LBP. INTERVENTIONS: Routine care (TENS group) or routine care plus a therapeutic education program (TENS-TEP group) based on consultation support by a pain resource nurse. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: EIFEL and Dallas Pain Questionnaire scores. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients (44%) were still assessable at the end-of-study visit, whereas 33 (70%) were assessable at the same time point in the TENS-TEP group (P = .013). The EIFEL score and the Dallas score had a similar evolution over time between groups (P = .18 and P = .50 respectively). Similarly, there were no significant differences between the groups with respect to resting pain scores (P = .94 for back pain and P = .16 for leg pain) and movement pain scores (P = .52 for back pain and P = .56 for leg pain). At Month 6, there was no significant difference between the groups (P = .85) with regard to analgesics and social impact. Two patients presented a serious adverse event during the study (one in each group) but non-attributable to the treatment studied. CONCLUSION: This study does not support the use of TENS in the treatment of patients with chronic LBP even though patients benefited from a therapeutic education program by a pain resource nurse. However, the higher number of premature withdrawals in the TENS group may be due to early withdrawal of patients who did not experience improvement of their symptoms.

Impact of a preoperative conversational hypnotic session on propofol consumption using closed-loop anesthetic induction guided by the bispectral index: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The automated administration of propofol in a closed loop could be used to objectively evaluate the nonpharmacological anesthetic action of hypnotherapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a conversational hypnosis session on the consumption of propofol for anesthetic induction. DESIGN: A randomized, usual care-controlled, single-center, patient-blind trial. SETTING: Tertiary care center in France from November 2012 to December 2013. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients scheduled for a surgical procedure under general anesthesia. INTERVENTIONS: Before surgery, patients were randomized with a computer-generated random list for a preoperative conversational hypnosis session or for usual care. The conversational hypnosis session was conducted and individualized by the therapist with an academic degree in hypnosis in a quiet environment. Anesthetic induction was automatically performed by propofol without opioids and was assisted by the bispectral index in a closed loop. OUTCOME: Primary endpoint was the propofol dose required for anesthesia induction, defined as a Bispectral index less than 60 for at least 30 seconds. RESULTS: The study included 48 patients in the hypnosis group and 49 patients in the control group. No difference in propofol consumption to obtain anesthesia induction was observed between the groups (total dose: 138.6 [67.5] and 130 [47.9] mg, P = .47; adjusted dose: 2.15 [1.09] and 1.95 [0.66] mg/kg, P = .28, for the hypnosis and control groups, respectively). Hetero-evaluation of arm movement during propofol injection (no reaction: 98% and 74%; P = .004, in the hypnosis and control groups, respectively) and face reaction at venous access placement (no reaction 59% and 30%; P = .017, in the hypnosis and control groups, respectively) were lower in the hypnosis group. No adverse event was reported. CONCLUSIONS: No difference in propofol consumption was observed in this study designed to evaluate the effect of a hypnotic conversational session on anesthesia induction using an automated tool for propofol administration.

Prevalence and characteristics of pain in patients awaiting lung transplantation.

CONTEXT: Pain in patients awaiting lung transplantation is not well known. OBJECTIVES: This study prospectively investigated prevalence and characteristics of pain in these patients. METHODS: Assessment, undertaken at the time of registration, comprised an interview, a physical examination by a pain-qualified anesthesiologist, and a questionnaire completed by the patient and investigator. This questionnaire included evaluation of pain (intensity, location, sensory and affective qualifications, and treatment), detection of neuropathic pain, and assessment of anxiety and depression. A patient was considered "with pain" when at least one of the following criteria was met: 1) positive answer to the question "Do you suffer regularly from pain?" and 2) score greater than 3 on at least one of three numeric pain scales (current, maximal, and average during the last eight days) ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (most severe pain imaginable). RESULTS: One hundred forty-three patients were enrolled. Prevalence of pain was 59%. Three independent variables were correlated to the magnitude of the average pain score for the preceding eight days: female gender (P = 0.003), cystic fibrosis (P = 0.02), and depression score (P = 0.02). Among the pain patients, 39% took analgesic drugs daily and 36% regularly but less than daily; 2% used opioids. Nineteen percent used nonpharmacological strategies (e.g., hypnosis, relaxation). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the prevalence of pain in this population and specific problems associated with pain such as anxiety and depression. Appropriate assessment and treatment of pain should be considered a component of pretransplantation management.

Transesophageal and contact ultrasound echographic assessments of pulmonary vessels in bilateral lung transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic visualization of the vascular anastomosis of lung grafts can be difficult. The goal of this prospective study was to compare intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography and contact ultrasound. METHODS: Vessel imaging and Doppler analysis obtained before chest closure by both techniques were compared in 18 bilateral lung transplant recipients. RESULTS: Twenty-four arteries in 36 and 45 pulmonary veins in 72 were recorded using transesophageal echocardiography versus 34 and 60 by contact ultrasound (p = 0.05). Views of the left pulmonary artery (p = 0.04) and of the left superior and inferior pulmonary veins (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively) were more often obtained with contact ultrasound. Measurements of vessel diameters were similar by both methods except for the left superior vein, which was smaller by the transesophageal approach (p = 0.002). In 1 patient, inferior venous diameters could not be obtained by either method. Nine arterial and 47 venous velocities were recorded by transesophageal echocardiography versus 21 and 33 by contact ultrasound (p = 0.001). Contact ultrasound produced better left pulmonary artery recordings (p = 0.02), whereas transesophageal echocardiography was more effective on venous velocities. Left inferior vein velocity was twofold higher using transesophageal echocardiography (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest clinicians should exercise caution when making treatment decisions when using transesophageal echocardiography alone.

Assessment of chronic pain after thoracotomy: a 1-year prevalence study.

OBJECTIVES: The primary goal of this study was to investigate the incidence of chronic pain 1 year after a thoracotomy. Secondary goals were to determine which interventions and patient characteristics were associated with reports of chronic pain, to identify risk factors, to clarify the neuropathic component, and to determine the impact of chronic pain on daily life. METHODS: All 86 patients, who had undergone a posterolateral thoracotomy at our institution between October 2007 and March 2008, received a questionnaire 1 year after the surgical procedure and were contacted by phone 1 week later. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients responded. Prevalence of chronic pain was 48%; among them 8 patients had neuropathic pain (12% of the whole group). Current, average, and maximal pain scale scores were 1.1±1.2, 1.3±1.3, and 3.4±1.7 (visual analog scale), respectively. Patients with chronic pain were about 10 years younger (P=0.07) and had a significantly less severe American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score (29% grade I versus 17%, P=0.04). With regard to risk factors, age and ASA score were negatively correlated with chronic pain whereas number of drains was positively correlated to it. In most patients with pain (84%), activities of daily life were affected. DISCUSSION: Chronic pain is common after thoracotomy and its neuropathic component is infrequent. As age, ASA scores, number of drains, and situations relating to daily life seem to play a role in pain occurrence, a multifaceted approach against the onset of chronic pain is advisable.