Analgesia for thoracic surgery

Publication date: November 2014 Source:Anaesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine, Volume 15, Issue 11 Author(s): Andrew N. Davies , Christopher J. Rozario The pain of thoracic surgery is severe which if addressed correctly reduces morbidity and mortality. Pain arises from muscle dissection, rib retraction and intercostal nerve damage. Management is challenged by pre-existing respiratory and co-morbid disease. Thoracic epidural analgesia for thoracotomy is considered ideal, however paravertebral blockade as part of a multimodal approach increasingly offers a comparable solution. Post-thoracotomy pain syndrome is a significant issue and preventive analgesia is worthy of consideration.
Source: Anaesthesia and intensive care medicine - Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: research