However , intercostal nerve injury seems to be the most important pathogenic factor .
Chronic pain complaints after thoracic surgery represent a significant clinical problem in 25 - 60 % of patients .
Results from thoracic and other surgical procedures suggest multiple pathogenic mechanisms that include pre- , intra- , and postoperative factors .
This review attempts to analyse the methodology and systematic s of the studies on the  post-thoracotomy pain syndrome ( PTPS ) after lung cancer surgery in adults , in order to clarify the relative role of possible pathogenic factors and to define future strategies for prevention .
Prediction of post‐operative pain by an electrical pain stimulus
Background : Treatment of  post‐operative pain  is still a significant problem . Recently , interest has focused on pre‐operative identification of patients who may experience severe post‐operative pain in order to offer a more aggressive analgesic treatment . The nociceptive stimulation methods have included heat injury and pressure algometry . A simple method , Pain Matcher ® ( PM ) , using electrical stimulation , is vali date d for pain assessment , but has not been evaluated as a tool for prediction of post‐operative pain . Our aim was to assess the predictive value of pre‐caesarean section pain threshold on intensity of post‐caesarean section pain using the PM
However , intercostal nerve injury seems to be the most important pathogenic factor .
Chronic pain complaints after thoracic surgery represent a significant clinical problem in 25 - 60 % of patients .
Results from thoracic and other surgical procedures suggest multiple pathogenic mechanisms that include pre- , intra- , and postoperative factors .
This review attempts to analyse the methodology and systematic s of the studies on the  post-thoracotomy pain syndrome ( PTPS ) after lung cancer surgery in adults , in order to clarify the relative role of possible pathogenic factors and to define future strategies for prevention .