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- Jensen, Elisabeth Kjær, et al.
(author)
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A national center for persistent severe pain after groin hernia repair : Five-year prospective data
- 2019
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In: Medicine. - 0025-7974. ; 98:33
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Severe persistent pain after groin hernia repair impairs quality-of-life. Prospective, consecutive cohort study including patients with pain-related impairment of physical and social life. Relevant surgical records were obtained, and examinations were by standardized clinical and neurophysiological tests. Patients demonstrating pain sensitivity to pressure algometry in the operated groin underwent re-surgery, while patients with neuropathic pain received pharmacotherapy. Questionnaires at baseline (Q0) and at the 5-year time point (Q5Y) were used in outcome analyses of pain intensity (numeric rating scale [NRS] 0-10) and pain-related effect on the activity-of-daily-living (Activities Assessment Scale [AAS]). Data are mean (95% CI).Analyses were made in 172/204 (84%) eligible patients. In 54/172 (31%) patients re-surgery (meshectomy/selective neurectomy) was performed, while the remaining 118/172 (69%) patients received pharmacotherapy. In the re-surgery group, activity-related, and average NRS-scores at Q0 were 6.6 (5.6-7.9) and 5.9 (5.6-5.9), respectively. Correspondingly, NRS-scores at Q5Y was 4.1 (3.3-5.1) and 3.1 (2.3-4.0; Q0 vs. Q5Y: P < .0005), respectively. Although both groups experienced a significant improvement in AAS-scores comparing Q0 vs. Q5Y (re-surgery group: 28% (4-43%; P < .0001); pharmacotherapy group: 5% (0-11%; P = .005)) the improvement was significantly larger in the re-surgery group (P = .02).This 5-year cohort study in patients with severe persistent pain after groin hernia repair signals that selection to re-surgery or pharmacotherapy, based on examination of pain sensitivity, is associated with significant improvement in outcome. Analyzing composite endpoints, combining pain and physical function, are novel in exploring interventional effects.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03713047.
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| 2. |
- Jensen, Elisabeth Kjær, et al.
(author)
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Somatosensory Outcomes Following Re-Surgery in Persistent Severe Pain After Groin Hernia Repair : A Prospective Observational Study
- 2023
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In: Journal of Pain Research. - 1178-7090. ; 16, s. 943-959
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: After groin hernia repair (globally more than 20 million/year) 2–4% will develop persistent severe pain (PSPG). Pain management is challenging and may require multimodal interventions, including re-surgery. Quantitative somatosensory testing (QST) is an investigational psychophysiological tool with the potential to uncover the pathophysiological mechanisms behind the pain, ie, revealing neuropathic or inflammatory components. The primary objective was to examine and describe the underlying pathophysiological changes in the groin areas by QST before and after re-surgery with mesh removal and selective neurectomy. Patients and Methods: Sixty patients with PSPG scheduled for re-surgery and with an inflammatory “component” indicated by blunt pressure algometry were examined in median (95% CI) 7.9 (5.8–11.5) months before and 4.0 (3.5–4.6) months after re-surgery. The QST-analyses included standardized assessments of cutaneous mechanical/thermal detection and pain thresholds. Suprathreshold heat stimuli were applied. Deep tissue sensitivity was tested by pressure algometry. Testing sites were the groin areas and the lower arm. Before/after QST data were z-transformed. Results: Re-surgery resulted in median changes in rest, average, and maximal pain intensity scores of −2.0, −2.5, and −2.0 NRS (0/ 10) units, respectively (P = 0.0001), and proportional increases in various standardized functional scores (P = 0.0001). Compared with the control sites, the cutaneous somatosensory detection thresholds of the painful groin were increased before re-surgery and increased further after re-surgery (median difference: 1.28 z-values; P = 0.001), indicating a successive post-surgical loss of nerve fiber function (“deafferentation”). Pressure algometry thresholds increased after re-surgery (median difference: 0.30 z-values; P = 0.001). Conclusion: In this subset of patients with PSPG who underwent re-surgery, the procedure was associated with improved pain and functional outcomes. While the increase in somatosensory detection thresholds mirrors the surgery-induced cutaneous deafferentation, the increase in pressure algometry thresholds mirrors the removal of the deep “pain generator”. The QST-analyses are useful adjuncts in mechanism-based somatosensory research.
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