[Postoperative pain: quanti-qualitative characteristics related to thoracotomy and sternotomy].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the pain intensity and characteristics of patients in posterior-lateral thoracotomy (PLT) and esternotomy (EST).


METHODS
The sample was composed by 40 individuals submitted to PLT and EST, 12 males and 08 females for each surgical proceeding with average of 47 years old. The instruments used were physiotherapeutic evaluation forms, pain numerical scale and McGill questionnaire pain. The proceeding have consisted on apply of the instruments.


RESULTS
The pain intensity of numerical scale has ranged from 2 to 10 with average of 5.1 for male and 5.7 for female. The descriptors of the McGill questionnaire selected with higher frequency were: pointed e thin (sensorial group), tired, sickening, punishment e miserable (affective group) and e tidy, cold e bored (miscellany group). The average of the number and the plus of the descriptors were compared between males patients submitted to PLT and EST, these values haven't showed statistical significance. The same results also were found between females patients.


CONCLUSIONS
There weren't statistical significance of pain quantitative answers when compared the patients submitted to PLT and EST. About the qualitative aspects, it was observed at McGill questionnaire a predominance the same descriptors of the affective group for both sexes.
Xavier
Thaiza Teixeira
TT
Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia - UESB. thaizax@yahoo.com
Torres
Gilson de Vasconcelos
Gde V
da Rocha
Vera Maria
VM
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors