Incidence and Severity of Chronic Pain at 3 and 6 Months After Thoracotomy: Meta-Analysis

This systematic review's findings suggest that reported chronic pain rates are approximately 50% at 3 and 6 months and have been largely stable from the 1990s to the present. The severity of this pain is not consistently reported. Chronic pain after thoracotomy continues to be a significant problem despite advancing perioperative care.