Acute and chronic pain following craniotomy: a review

Postoperative pain is an important clinical problem that has received increasing attention in recent years. However, pain following craniotomy has been a comparatively neglected topic; this review seeks to redress this imbalance. A brief overview of the anatomy of the skull and its linings is given, with particular reference to innervation. The various approaches for craniotomies are classified, with their association with acute and long-term effects on analgesic requirements. A comprehensive search of the literature was undertaken to ascertain the incidence of acute pain post craniotomy and current thoughts on pharmacological management, touching briefly on pre-emptive treatment. Also discussed is the much neglected but nevertheless real incidence of chronic pain following craniotomy and its underlying pathogenesis, prevention and treatment.