Lancet
The most recent articles from:
Lancet
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Cryoanalgesia for post-thoracotomy pain.
Intercostal block by a freezing technique was compared with blockade by local anaesthetics or no blockade as a method of treating post-thoracotomy pain. The 15 patients who received cryotherapy had significantly less postoperative pain than the 9 patients whose nerves were blocked by local anaesthetics or who did not receive any nerve block. The interruption of nerve function produced by cryotherapy was temporary (not more than 30 days), and there were no adverse sequelae.