Comparison of Incidence and Severity of Chronic Postsurgical Pain Following Ear Surgery

Literature review shows a limited number of studies investigating chronic pain following ear surgeries. The effect of mastoidectomy on chronic postsurgical pain, however, has never been investigated. The present study investigates not only the incidence and severity of chronic pain following ear surgeries with and without mastoidectomy, but also predisposing diseases for pain.

The study was performed in a total of 150 patients who underwent tympanoplasty or tympanomastoidectomy through a retroauricular incision in a single tertiary health care center. During the routine postoperative 3rd-month examination, the patients were questioned for the presence and severity of chronic pain, as well as the diseases that might predispose the pain.

The difference between the visual analog scale scores of the groups was not statistically significant. Comparison of pain character revealed that neuropathic pain is more prevalent in both the groups. Evaluating the relationship between concomitant diseases and chronic pain, it was observed that migraine, cervical pathology, and acute postsurgical pain were closely associated with chronic pain.

It was demonstrated that mastoidectomy does not pose an additional risk for chronic postsurgical pain. However, patients with migraine, cervical pathology, and acute postsurgical pain are at risk for chronic postsurgical pain.