de Boer Friso A, Schouten Tundi T J, Boekestein Erik P, van Eijk Floor, van Kampen Paulien M, Bazuin Roos, Huijsmans Pol E
Department of Orthopedic surgery, HagaZiekenhuis, The Hague, The Netherlands.
Department of Orthopedic surgery, HagaZiekenhuis, The Hague, The Netherlands.
Orthop Traumatol Surg Res. 2019 Apr;105(2):241-244. doi: 10.1016/j.otsr.2018.08.018. Epub 2019 Jan 25.
Shoulder surgery is a painful procedure. Adequate postoperative pain control increases patient satisfaction. The objectives of this study were to investigate postoperative pain development in shoulder surgery and to assess risk factors for high postoperative pain.
Patients who undergo rotator cuff repair are more painful than patients who undergo different kinds of shoulder surgery.
Four hundred and sixty five patients who underwent shoulder surgery were included in this retrospective cohort study. A linear mixed model analysis was used to compare NRS (Numeric Rating Scale) for pain between different kinds of shoulder surgery in the first three weeks postoperatively. To assess risk factors for high postoperative pain odds ratios were calculated.
Pain development in the first 3 weeks differed between procedures with rotator cuff repair being the most painful procedure. Risk factors for high postoperative pain were female sex and subacromial decompression with distal clavicle resection.
Patients who undergo rotator cuff repair are indeed more painful than patients who undergo different kinds of shoulder surgery. With identifying these differences in pain development and the risk factors for high postoperative pain after shoulder surgery, we can optimize postoperative pain treatment. However, further research is needed to support these results.
IV, retrospective cohort study.
