Treatments that the patients received for chronic postsurgical pain after thoracic surgery during the study period
| Treatments for chronic postsurgical pain | n=558 |
| No medication | 83 (14.9) |
| Acetaminophen | 131 (23.5) |
| Time from surgery to first prescription (months)* | 8 (4–18) |
| Duration of prescription (months)* | 0 (0–5) |
| Anticonvulsants† | 71 (12.7) |
| Time from surgery to first prescription (months)* | 8 (3–16) |
| Duration of prescription (months)* | 4 (1–14) |
| Antidepressants‡ | 38 (6.8) |
| Time from surgery to first prescription (months)* | 9 (3–21) |
| Duration of prescription (months)* | 6 (0–15) |
| Lidocaine transdermal patch | 24 (4.3) |
| Time from surgery to first prescription (months)* | 7 (3–13) |
| Duration of prescription (months)* | 1 (0–7) |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | 140 (25.1) |
| Time from surgery to first prescription (months)* | 4 (2–13) |
| Duration of prescription (months)* | 0 (0–4) |
| Weak opioids§ | 455 (81.5) |
| Time from surgery to first prescription (months)* | 1 (1–1) |
| Duration of prescription (months)* | 0 (0–1) |
| Strong opioids¶ | 206 (36.9) |
| Time from surgery to first prescription (months)* | 4 (1–14) |
| Duration of prescription (months)* | 2 (0–11) |
| Prolonged strong opioid use (≥3 months) | 93 (16.7) |
| Refer to the pain center | 36 (6.5) |
| Fluoroscopy-guided thoracic epidural block | 19 (3.4) |
| Ultrasound-guided intercostal nerve block | 13 (2.8) |
| 10% lidocaine wound injection | 5 (0.9) |
| Pectoral nerve block | 2 (0.4) |
The values are presented as median (IQR) or number (%).
*The values were rounded to the nearest month. Prescription within 2 weeks is recorded as 0.
†Gabapentin and pregabalin.
‡Tricyclic antidepressants and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.
§Tramadol and tramadol/acetaminophen combination.
¶Morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, and transdermal fentanyl patch.