Chronic pain after major breast surgery: A retrospective cohort study
Authors' conclusion
Multiple factors are associated with chronic pain following breast surgery. While perioperative factors play a role, long-term treatment modalities also significantly influence its occurrence.
Study context
- Population
- Women undergoing first-time unilateral breast surgery for breast cancer, without pre-existing chronic pain, January 2020 to September 2022
- Outcome
- Incidence of chronic postoperative pain
- Follow-up
- 3 and 6 months
Methodological detailssingle-centre
- Single-centre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Chronic postoperative pain incidence
Chronic pain at 3 months
32%
95% CI 28.8 to 35.4%
Chronic pain at 6 months
39%
95% CI 35.9 to 42.2%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Factors associated with chronic pain at 3 months
| OR (95% CI) | P value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sufentanil and propofol GA | 0.548 (0.381–0.788) | P = 0.0012 | |
| Sentinel node biopsy | 0.520 (0.274–0.988) | P = 0.0459 | |
| 0.20.5125Odds ratio (log scale) |
Predictors of persistent pain at 6 months
| OR (95% CI) | P value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjuvant radiotherapyMultivariable model, stepwise selection | 3.294 (1.610–6.741) | P = 0.0011 | |
| Chronic pain at 3 monthsMultivariable model, stepwise selection | 10.706 (7.399–15.489) | P < 0.0001 | |
| MastectomyAfter model construction · multivariable model, stepwise selection | 0.610 (0.456–0.817) | P = 0.0009 | |
| AgeAfter model construction · multivariable model, stepwise selection | 0.983 (0.972–0.995) | P = 0.0051 | |
| 0.050.21520Odds ratio (log scale) |
Early postoperative pain
- PACU pain score numeric rating scale (NRS) >4
- 31%
- PACU pain score NRS >7
- 3%
- Mean pain score on subsequent days below one
Original publication
Chronic pain after major breast surgery: A retrospective cohort study. Eur J Anaesthesiol. Published 1 October 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →