Korean J Anesthesiol.  2003 Mar;44(3):359-364. 10.4097/kjae.2003.44.3.359.

Factors Affecting Post-sympathicotomy Pain in Palmar Hyperhidosis Patients

• Jeong YB
• Sim HL
• Kim TH
• Park JH
• Leem JG
• Park SI
• Choi IC

• KMID: 2299012
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2003.44.3.359

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Discharge after day-surgery can be delayed for postoperative pain in a video-assisted thoracic sympathicotomy (VATS). However, there seems to be no research about postoperative pain after a VATS. We examined the characteristics of patients and operative factors, and compared the severity of postoperative pain according to different anesthetics.
METHODS
We examined the age, sex, obesity index, and pain tolerance in 194 VATS patients of ASA physical status 1 or 2. The patients were randomly divided into two groups each with 97 patients. Group P was anesthetized with propofol, and group E with enflurane. We measured the visual analog scale (VAS) score at 5 minute, 2 hours, and 6 hours after arrival at the recovery room.
RESULTS
There was no difference in the VAS score according to age, sex, obesity index, or pain tolerance. The VAS score at coughing was significantly higher than at rest. The VAS score in group P was higher than group E, but there was no significant difference. The patients who had a complication of a pneumothorax had a significantly higher VAS score.
CONCLUSIONS
Postoperative pain seems to be aggravated by remaining air within the thorax after VATS.

Keyword

VATS; pain; pneumothorax

MeSH Terms

Anesthetics
Cough
Enflurane
Humans
Obesity
Pain, Postoperative
Pneumothorax
Propofol
Recovery Room
Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted
Thorax
Visual Analog Scale
Anesthetics
Enflurane
Propofol