title: Effect of cryoanalgesia on post-thoracotomy pain.
abstract: We prepared this study to determine the effect of cryoanalgesia on post-thoracotomy pain. In this double-blinded randomized clinical trial, 60 patients who underwent thoracotomy were divided into two groups (control and cryoanalgesia). Visual Analogue Scale (VAS, 0-10) was used for the measurement of severity of post-thoracotomy pain. It was classified into three categories: 0-1 (mild), 2-3 (moderate), and 4-10 (severe). Pethidine (0.5-1 mg/kg) was administered in case of need for both groups. Patients were visited at the hospital a week later, and were contacted by phone at the first, second, and third months post-operatively. Intensity of pain in the control group was higher than the cryoanalgesia group in all visits the follow-up period. On the second day, the frequencies of severe pain (4-10) were 33.3% and 0 in the control and cryoanalgesia groups, respectively. The mild pain on the seventh day was 13.3% and 83.3% in the control and cryoanalgesia groups, respectively (P < 0.01). Pethidine consumption was 151.6 ± 27 mg in the control group and 87.5 ±48 mg in the cryoanalgesia group on the first day post-operation (P < 0.001). Cryoanalgesia is a useful technique with not serious side effects in order to alleviate post-thoracotomy pain and reduce the need for opiate consumption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology & Pain, Imam Hossein Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sirous
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Momenzadeh
authors.forename: Hedayatollah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Elyasi
authors.forename: Naser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Valaie
authors.forename: Badiozaman
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Radpey
authors.forename: Azizollah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abbasi
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nematollahi
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mohammadinasab
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*