Successful management of postoperative pain with pregabalin after thoracotomy

Purpose There is no established treatment for intercostal neuralgia associated with thoracotomy. We investigated the administration of pregabalin as a new perioperative treatment, assessing its safety and efficacy for intercostal neuralgia after thoracotomy. Methods Thirty patients suffering pain after thoracotomy severe enough to cause insomnia were prospectively enrolled and treated with 150 mg of pregabalin. We evaluated pain scores (Numeric Rating Scale, NRS), severity of nocturnal insomnia, and adverse effects before and after pregabalin administration. Results We noted significant decreases in pain scores, before vs. after pregabalin administration, from 8.2 ± 1.3 to 3.4 ± 1.3 ( p