ArticleSurgery today2026
Narrow intercostal anatomy is associated with early postoperative pain after thoracoscopic surgery.
Article in Surgery today, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeThis study retrospectively investigated the risk factors for postoperative pain after thoracoscopic surgery, with a particular focus on chest wall anatomical characteristics.
methodsWe reviewed patients who underwent thoracoscopic surgery between August 2021 and June 2025 at our institution. At routine outpatient visits 2-3 weeks after discharge, postoperative pain was assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale. Patients were categorized into a pain group (score ≥ 3) and a low-pain group (score ≤ 2). Clinical variables, perioperative factors, and preoperative chest wall anatomy were compared using an imaging analysis workstation.
resultsAmong the 149 patients, 62 (41.6%) reported a score of ≥ 3. The pain group showed a higher prevalence of habitual anxiolytic use, a greater proportion of patients with obstructive ventilatory impairment, narrower intercostal spaces, and longer operative time (all p < 0.05). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, a sixth intercostal space width of ≤ 10.2 mm was associated with postoperative pain (odds ratio 3.69, 95% confidence interval 1.510-8.990, p = 0.004).
conclusionsThis study provides the first evidence that narrow intercostal anatomy is a significant risk factor for early postoperative pain after thoracoscopic surgery. Our novel insights may enhance preoperative risk stratification and support individualized analgesic strategies.
Indexed as
Identifiers
42667374What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.