[Postoperative pain: quanti-qualitative characteristics related to thoracotomy and sternotomy]

To analyze the pain intensity and characteristics of patients in posterior-lateral thoracotomy (PLT) and esternotomy (EST).

The sample was composed by 40 individuals submitted to PLT and EST, 12 males and 08 females for each surgical proceeding with average of 47 years old. The instruments used were physiotherapeutic evaluation forms, pain numerical scale and McGill questionnaire pain. The proceeding have consisted on apply of the instruments.

The pain intensity of numerical scale has ranged from 2 to 10 with average of 5.1 for male and 5.7 for female. The descriptors of the McGill questionnaire selected with higher frequency were: pointed e thin (sensorial group), tired, sickening, punishment e miserable (affective group) and e tidy, cold e bored (miscellany group). The average of the number and the plus of the descriptors were compared between males patients submitted to PLT and EST, these values haven't showed statistical significance. The same results also were found between females patients.

There weren't statistical significance of pain quantitative answers when compared the patients submitted to PLT and EST. About the qualitative aspects, it was observed at McGill questionnaire a predominance the same descriptors of the affective group for both sexes.