Postoperative hyperalgesia does not predict persistent post‐sternotomy pain; observational study based on clinical examination

Abstract

Measuring the area of hyperalgesia in the acute phase does not give any additional information on the risk of developing a persistent post-sternotomy pain. We do thus not recommend measuring the area in this particular group of patients. Evaluation of pain by only a questionnaire risks to overestimate the presence of persistent post-sternotomy pain as compared to clinical examination.