Abstract
To determine the optimal duration of epidural analgesia (EA) after lung cancer surgery, a retrospective analysis was conducted to compare chest pain, pulmonary function, and respiratory muscle strength between patients given EA until postoperative day (POD) 3 and those given EA until POD 8. Each group comprised 25 lung cancer patients who underwent a lobectomy under anterior limited thoracotomy and given continuous thoracic EA using morphine until POD 3 (POD3-EA group) or POD 8 (POD8-EA group). The two groups were matched by sex and age. Postoperative pain from PODs 1 to 12 was evaluated by the pain score and analgesic requirements. The pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength were measured on POD 7. The POD3-EA group did not experience any increase in pain after withdrawal, but the POD8-EA group did show a significant increase in pain the day after withdrawal (P < 0.05). The pain scores on PODs 8 and 9 in the POD8-EA group were significantly higher than those in the POD3-EA group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength on POD 7 between the two groups. Although the postoperative thoracic EA did not affect pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength, prolonged thoracic EA after a limited thoracotomy significantly increased the pain after withdrawal, thus negatively affecting postoperative pain control.
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Received: May 8, 2000 / Accepted: September 6, 2000
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Nomori, H., Horio, H. & Suemasu, K. Comparison of Short-Term Versus Long-Term Epidural Analgesia After Limited Thoracotomy with Special Reference to Pain Score, Pulmonary Function, and Respiratory Muscle Strength. Surg Today 31, 191–195 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s005950170167
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s005950170167