Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2025 Apr-Jun;19(2):181-189.
doi: 10.4103/sja.sja_829_24. Epub 2025 Mar 25.

Chronic postsurgical pain after cardiac surgery: A narrative review

Burhan Dost  1 , Yunus Emre Karapinar  2 , Deniz Karakaya  1 , Zeliha Asli Demir  3 , Sibel Baris  1 , Ersin Koksal  1 , Muhammed E Aydin  2 , Bahadir Ciftci  4   5 , Serkan Tulgar  6
Affiliations
Review

Chronic postsurgical pain after cardiac surgery: A narrative review

Burhan Dost et al. Saudi J Anaesth. 2025 Apr-Jun.

Abstract

Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is a prevalent and debilitating sequela of cardiac surgery, exerting a profound impact on patients' quality of life, functional recovery, and healthcare systems. Its pathophysiology includes complex mechanisms, including peripheral and central sensitization, neuroplastic alterations, and inflammatory pathways, influenced by demographic, psychological, and perioperative factors. Inadequate management of acute pain is a critical contributor to its development. This review examines the etiology of CPSP, presents key risk factors, and critically evaluates pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions. Particular attention is devoted to the role of regional anesthesia techniques and emerging preventive and therapeutic strategies, highlighting the necessity of multidisciplinary, evidence-informed approaches to address this persistent clinical challenge.

Keywords: Cardiac surgery; chronic postsurgical pain; regional anesthesia.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Risk factors for chronic postsurgical pain after cardiac surgery
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Schug SA, Lavand’homme P, Barke A, Korwisi B, Rief W, Treede RD, et al. The IASP classification of chronic pain for ICD-11: Chronic postsurgical or posttraumatic pain. Pain. 2019;160:45–52. - PubMed
    1. Martinez V, Lehman T, Lavand’homme P, Harkouk H, Kalso E, Pogatzki-Zahn EM, et al. Chronic postsurgical pain: A European survey. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2024;41:351–62. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Xiao MZX, Khan JS, Dana E, Rao V, Djaiani G, Richebé P, et al. Prevalence and risk factors for chronic postsurgical pain after cardiac surgery: A single-center prospective cohort study. Anesthesiology. 2023;139:309–20. - PubMed
    1. Girgin S, Gölboyu BE. Incidence of chronic neuropathic pain after open-heart surgery: A retrospective cohort analysis. GKD Anest Yoğ Bak Dern Derg. 2023;29:1–6.
    1. Dost B, Sungur Z, Kararmaz A. Determination of the frequency and affecting factors of chronic postsurgical pain after cardiac surgery (CPSP-Cardiac): Protocol for a multicenter, observational study. GKD Anest Yoğ Bak Dern Derg. 2024;30:100–5.

LinkOut - more resources