Clinical analysis of effect of cryoanalgesia.

Objective To investigate the effect of Cryonalgesia in post - thoracotomy. Methods A prospective study was carried out in 50 patients undergoing thoracotomy. Patients were randomized into two groups: control group and cryoanalgesia group. Both were 25 patients. In trial group, cryoanalgesia was applied intraoperatively to the intercostal nerves above and below the incision, and the root of the intercostal nerve of the drainage tube inserted. Except for cryoanalgesia, the treatments of control group are the same as the trail group. Subjective pain relief was assessed on visual analogue scale(VAS). Results There was significant difference between the trail group and the control group. The VSA score of the trail group and the control was 2.14, and 7.9 ( P 0.01), restectively. In the cryo - group and the control, the total effective rates were 92% and 52% ,restectively. The mean amount required of morphine in the two groups were 2.3mg and 16.4mg, resptectively (P 0.01). Conclusion Cryoanalgesia was an efficient method for pain relief after thoracotomy.