Six years after my lung operation, the severe pain began in the area of my operated lungs. With every breath it felt like my left chest was tightening a lot. It was four more years before I was finally diagnosed with Postthoracotomy Pain Syndrome.
What is postthoracotomy pain syndrome?
According to various studies *, the postthoracotomy pain syndrome can develop post-operatively, i.e. after a surgical intervention in the chest (thoracotomy), and for some patients it can even become chronic. The exact cause has not yet been fully clarified. However, there is now evidence that the pain may be triggered by trauma to the intercostal nerve during the procedure. *****
A 2006 study concluded that the likelihood of chronic pain occurring 7 to 12 months after the procedure was 57%. Another 4 - 5 years later it is only 36% and 6 - 7 years later it is 21%. ** Newer studies and studies show even lower prevalences. **
In some long-term studies it also became clear that preoperative pain can already be a sign of postthoracotomy pain syndrome. *** It was shown that there are different types of pain that change over time. Many of the patients who were pain-free before the procedure were again so after 12 months postoperatively. Due to functional and structural changes in the brain in patients with chronic pain, a connection to the postthoracotomy pain syndrome could be established. ****
The intensity of chronic pain can vary greatly from patient to patient: there are very different forms from mild to severe.
Diagnosis: postthoracotomy pain syndrome
Anyone who knows my story knows that it took me almost 2 years before my lung operation to find doctors who believed that I had pain and a serious problem with my lungs. Now - ten years later - I know that there is always the challenge of finding good and interested doctors in life. Six years after my operation (2016) I started cramping and sharp pain in the left chest area. After the pain did not improve, I went to my pulmonologist at the time, who ordered some examinations, which, however, remained without results. When my doctor retired shortly afterwards and I went to see a colleague, I was laughed at rather than taken seriously. A few more, less interested doctors followed, who took a quick look at my case, but pretty quickly they all came to the same conclusion: that's the way it is. "Everyone has scar pain" was often thrown at my head.
Today, four years after the first onset of pain, I found a pulmonologist who quickly came to the conclusion that this is not "just the way it is". She explained to me about postthoracotomy pain syndrome and explained that while it is extremely rare to still have pain after ten years, it can of course still be the case. I also learned that this was still being researched, but that there was still no clear indication why it happened in some patients and not in others. Classic therapeutic approaches are therefore rarely available or are only prescribed by a few doctors.
What can those affected do about the pain?
Since PTPS occurs relatively frequently, acute pain therapy is now often used, which provides for subjective pain measurement (algesimetry). In addition, on-demand medication is often prescribed here. Breathing therapies can also help to alleviate the pain, as the patients often assume a relieving posture due to the pain, which in the long term can result in new physical limitations. ******
Those affected are therefore primarily dependent on a good pulmonologist who can diagnose postthoracotomy pain syndrome. Depending on the degree of restriction due to pain, medication certainly makes sense. In my case, it has helped to practice yoga daily to mobilize the chest, receive regular respiratory therapies, and reduce the daily desk time as crouched or sitting postures.
All content listed here is from medical sources. This blog post is not a substitute for specialist medical advice.
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