[Postoperative pain after thoracotomy. A study of 116 patients]

We have studied post-operative pain in 116 patients who underwent a thoracotomy. The pains were assessed using a visual analogue scale and were significant and identical whatever type of operation was used and irrespective of sex or diagnostic disease category. On the operative day only the surgeon seemed to have any influence. On the first post-operative day the pain was influenced by age and on the eighth day by socio-professional category. The insertion of drains had no influence on the pain. Massage and physiotherapy decreased the pain in a significant fashion. The importance of taking account of post-operative pain is underlined.