One-Year Persistence of Incisional Pain After Surgery

The reported incidence of persistent incisional pain after surgery varies widely in the medical literature. In this cohort study — which included patients from North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia — researchers determined the incidence of persistent incisional pain in nearly 15,000 patients (age, ≥45; mean age, 69) who underwent a broad range of noncardiac surgical procedures. All patients received general or regional anesthesia and spent at least 1 night in the hospital.

At 1 year, 3.3% of patients reported persistent pain at the incision site. Incidences ranged from ≤2% for prostatectomy and hysterectomy to 6% for spine surgery and complex visceral surgery. Patients with histories of chronic pain were more likely th…