title: Pain assessment in brain tumor patients after elective craniotomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was performed to assess the postoperative pain of brain tumor patients who underwent elective craniotomy and to evaluate the factors associated with pain intensity.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2010 to December 2011, 47 patients with newly diagnosed brain tumors who underwent craniotomy were enrolled. The postoperative pain status was assessed daily until discharge using the visual analogue scale (VAS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study participants comprised of 22 males and 25 females with ages ranging from 18-76 years (median age, 50 years). Patients were divided into two groups: the painful group included patients who had a VAS score of more than 3 during their hospital stay after the craniotomy, and the tolerable group included patients who had a VAS score of 1 to 3 during their hospital stay. There were no differences between the two groups in terms of age, sex, location of surgery, history of diabetes, hypertension and smoking, body mass index, and hospital stay. Univariate analysis revealed that operating time, length of wound, head fixation, and perioperative administration of opioid were not associated with the intensity of postoperative pain. Daily assessment of VAS revealed the two peaks of pain on the operation day and the 4th postoperative day. The intensity of pain during the ambulation period was higher than that during intensive care unit (ICU) stay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pain following elective craniotomy for brain tumor removal is insufficiently managed, especially after discharge from the ICU. More attention needs to be paid to patients' pain throughout the hospital stay.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Deok
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Il Sup
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Taek
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Analgesia; Brain neoplasm; Craniotomy; Pain management; Postoperative pain; Visual analogue scale