Is nerve-sparing surgery enough to prevent chronic postthoracotomy pain?

The economic impact of chronic pain on society is greater than most other health conditions, but these estimates are inadequate when compared with the suffering, potential addiction from chronic opioid use and decreased quality of life experienced by patients (1). Persistent post-operative pain is defined as chronic postsurgical pain when it develops following surgery, was not present prior to the procedure, lasts at least two months in duration and there are no other causes or explanations for the pain (2).