• K Joucken, L Michel, J C Schoevaerdts, A Mayné, and P Randour.
• Anesthesiology Unit, Cliniques Universitaires de Mont-Godinne, Catholic University of Louvain, Medical School, Yvoir, Belgium.
• Acta Anaesthesiol Belg. 1987 Jan 1;38(2):179-83.

AbstractA randomized study comparing the postoperative requirements of narcotics of three groups of patients (Group I: no analgesia; Group II: internal intercostal nerve block; Group III: cryoanalgesia) was conducted. This study was performed in order to assess the efficiency of cryoanalgesia versus internal intercostal nerve block to obtain pain relief after thoracotomy. Regarding post-operative narcotic requirements (Piritramide-Dipidolor), there was no significant difference between Group I and Group II patients, but patients from Group III required a significantly lower amount of narcotics during the first 36 postoperative hours (p less than 0.01). We conclude that, although cryoanalgesia does not provide complete post-thoracotomy pain relief, it is however an easy and safe method and is more efficient than internal intercostal nerve block for pain relief after thoracotomy.

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