Dysaesthesia associated with thoracic surgery
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Dysaesthesia associated with thoracic surgery
IRAS ID
305523
Contact name
R Peter Alston
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
NA, NA
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 30 days
Research summary
Many patients experience chronic (long-term) pain after chest surgery. The pain probably results form nerve damage during surgery. Changes in skin sensation are typically associated with chronic pain associated with nerve damage. The aims of this study are to identify the type of sensory changes as well as the locations and areas of sensory changes on the chest walls of patients in the early days after thoracic surgery. An additional aim is to measure the severity of acute pain determine if there is an association with the total area of sensory changes.
Patients who have undergone chest surgery will be recruited. Participants will be identified from the thoracic surgery operative list at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Areas of altered skin sensation on the chest wall will identified and delineated using standard sensory testing techniques including sharpness and touch. The areas will be marked out and copied on to tracing paper of a known weight per area, cut-out and weighed to determine the areas of different types and as well as the total area, of altered sensation. Acute pain will be measured using a four point verbal rating scale given by the patient and related to the total area of altered sensation.REC name
London - London Bridge Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/PR/1653
Date of REC Opinion
14 Dec 2021
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion