Pilot study of a survey to identify the prevalence of and risk factors for chronic neuropathic pain following breast cancer surgery
Oncology Nursing Forum, 03/15/2012
Bokhari FN et al. – Additional research is required to confirm the significance of these potential risk factors in the development of pain post breast surgery (PPBS).
Methods- Prospective, quantitative, longitudinal survey.
- Breast health clinic in western Canada.
- A convenience sample of 17 women undergoing breast cancer surgery.
- The Brief Pain Inventory was administered before surgery and 2 days, 10 days, and 3 months postsurgery.
- Demographic data also were collected preoperatively.
- Analysis included determining prevalence of PPBS;
- Descriptive analyses on age, gender, and body mass index (BMI);
- Presence of acute postoperative pain; type of surgery; and two–tailed t tests on age and BMI.
- The symptom experience of chronic PPBS.
- Twenty–three percent of the sample developed PPBS.
- Younger age (50 years or younger), more invasive surgery, acute postoperative pain, and less analgesic use during the acute postoperative period were factors associated with the development of PPBS.
