Choices in pain management following thoracotomy.

Effective analgesia and blockade of the perioperative stress response may improve outcome and accelerate recovery following thoracic surgery. Although different approaches can achieve the same goal, it seems that a multimodal pain management based on the use of synergistic drugs provides better analgesia. The route of administration of the postoperative analgesic drugs is important, and epidural analgesia plays a role in the reduction of pulmonary complications.