Less Pain After Lung Surgery

A simple variation in the technique used during lung surgery reduces acute and chronic post-operative pain, according to a UAB study published in the October issue of The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. The technique is relatively easy to perform, does not require additional special equipment and takes little time. UAB thoracic surgery chief Robert J. Cerfolio, M.D., and colleagues found that creating and folding down a muscle flap before spreading the ribs " thereby avoiding injury and maintaining blood supply to the nerve feeding the muscle " greatly reduces pain after surgery. The study also showed patients had improved post-operative lung function, were less likely to require pain medications and were more likely to have returned to normal activities within a month.