Chronic postoperative pain (CPOP) after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is severe because it results from lesions at multiple levels: incisions, pulmonary or nerve contusions. PCOD is defined by the IASP (International Association for the Study of Pain) as persistent pain 3 months after surgery. It affects around 30% of patients and significantly impairs recovery and quality of life. One of the many factors contributing to the appearance of PCOD is acute perioperative pain. To combat this acute pain and limit postoperative chronic pain, a multimodal analgesia strategy is necessary, particularly during thoracic surgery with a high nociceptive potential. This type of protocol will enable acute pain to be controlled by various means: tier 1 analgesics (paracetamol, NSAIDs), tier 2 (nefopam, tramadol) and tier 3 (opioid drugs), locoregional anaesthesia, co-analgesics and non-medicinal techniques. Thus, avoiding NSAIDs will have no effect on the increase in acute pain. A study of the impact of eliminating NSAIDs on chronic pain can therefore be carried out without increasing patients' acute pain. A team from McGill University, Montreal, Canada, recently discovered a paradoxical effect of anti-inflammatory drugs on the chronicisation of pain. They demonstrated that although anti-inflammatory drugs initially had an acute analgesic effect, they induced neutrophil depletion and a drastic change in the transcriptome postoperatively, leading to more chronic pain. These studies highlight the fact that although NSAIDs have an acute analgesic effect, their use could ultimately prove counterproductive by encouraging the development of CD. However, to date there are no studies demonstrating that a minimum dose or duration of NSAID treatment leads to the development of DCPO. On the basis of these results, it is justified to assess the impact of NSAIDs widely used in routine care in thoracic surgery on the development of DCPO. In order to improve pain management in the intraoperative phase, nociception monitoring is necessary. The PMD200® (Medasense Biometrics Ltd.) is the most recent monitor designed for this purpose, having demonstrated sensitivity and specificity in detecting nociceptive stimuli under general anaesthesia (4). It will make it possible to guide the administration of analgesic agents by displaying a nociception index (NOL index). Our hypothesis, based on this work, is that anti-inflammatory drugs, despite having an acute analgesic effect, could promote the development of DCPO after VATS.
Age range
75 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Assessment of Postoperative Pain at 3 Months Using a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)
Timeframe: 3 months post-op