Ipsilateral shoulder pain after thoracic surgery is a distressing problem and is associated with impairment of respiratory and shoulder function. The most suggested etiology for this shoulder pain is referred phrenic nerve pain. However, we have made clinical observations that suggest shoulder ligament strain as another cause of the shoulder pain.
Olumuyiwa A Bamgbade, Pema Dorje, and Gaury S Adhikary.
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. mubitim@yahoo.co.uk
J Clin Anesth. 2007 Jun 1; 19 (4): 296-8.
AbstractIpsilateral shoulder pain after thoracic surgery is a distressing problem and is associated with impairment of respiratory and shoulder function. The most suggested etiology for this shoulder pain is referred phrenic nerve pain. However, we have made clinical observations that suggest shoulder ligament strain as another cause of the shoulder pain.