Evaluation of postoperative pain by PainVision® PS-2100, a quantitative analyzer for perception and pain in pulmonary...

Pain intensity is typically assessed using qualitative scales, including the numerical rating scale (NRS), which has limitations in quantifying pain intensity. PainVision® PS-2100 (Nipro Corporation, Osaka, Japan) was developed to quantify pain as pain degree (PD); however, its ability to assess acute postoperative pain remains unclear. This prospective single-center pilot study aimed to evaluate the performance of PainVision® by comparing PD with NRS scores after lung resection surgery.

Fifty patients who underwent lobectomy or segmentectomy for lung tumors were enrolled. PD and NRS scores were measured twice daily, at rest and during mobilization, on postoperative days (PODs) 1, 2, 5, and 7. The correlation coefficient between PD and NRS scores on POD 1 was the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints included the correlation coefficients on PODs 2, 5, and 7; the overall correlation coefficient across all measured data; and a comparison of postoperative trends in PD and NRS scores.

On POD 1, statistically significant weak-to-moderate positive correlations were observed between PD and NRS scores (r = 0.363-0.634, p < 0.05). Similar results were observed on PODs 2, 5, and 7 in most measurement conditions (r = 0.274-0.664). A statistically significant moderate correlation was observed across all measurements (n = 736; r = 0.575, p < 0.001). PD and NRS scores showed similar trends: values on POD 2 were comparable to POD 1, whereas PODs 5 and 7 were significantly lower.

PainVision® may be a feasible tool for quantifying acute postoperative pain following lung resection.