Ipsilateral Shoulder Pain After Thoracotomy: Multifactorial in Cause, New Treatment Option

ADEQUATE PAIN RELIEF has been deemed a fundamental right for patients experiencing varying degrees of pain after surgery.1 The methods of postoperative pain management continue to change over time. In patients undergoing thoracic surgery via thoracotomy, epidural analgesia has been considered an optimal technique for pain relief. Intravenous opioids have remained the mainstay for intraoperative and postoperative analgesia, in addition to various other types of nerve blocks and adjuncts,2 particularly when patients experience moderate-to-severe pain.
Source: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia - Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research