The DOI matches its Crossref record; 23 of the 23 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Neurectomy for Treatment of Intercostal Neuralgia
Abstract
Background Intercostal neuralgia due to surgical injury of the intercostal nerve is difficult to treat. No treatment modality has given effective pain relief. Experience with other painful neuromas has demonstrated that neuroma resection and muscle implantation has been effective in the upper and lower extremities. This approach was applied to patients with intercostal neuralgia.Methods A retrospective review was done of 5 consecutive patients who have had neurectomy of one or more intercostal nerves. Preoperative and postoperative pain levels, patient demographics, length of follow-up, and surgical technique were reviewed.Results Average patient age was 51.0 years (range, 39.2 to 61.3). Patients presented an average of 42.8 months (range, 10 to 138) after the surgical procedure or trauma that created their painful intercostal neuromas. The mean maximum pain level was 10, and the mean average pain level was 8 (range, 7 to 9). Postoperatively, the mean maximum pain level was 3.4 (range, 0 to 9), and the mean average pain level was 2.2 (range, 0 to 7). The differences were significant: p less than 0.01 for maximum pain level and p less than 0.05 for average pain level. Average follow-up after surgery was 8.8 months (range, 6.5 to 10.9). The most common surgical technique used was intercostal nerve neurectomy proximal to the intercostal nerve neuroma and implantation of the cut nerve into the latissimus dorsi muscle.Conclusions Intercostal neurectomy and implantation of the cut nerve into the latissimus dorsi or into the rib for severe intercostal neuralgia was an efficacious treatment in this small consecutive patient series.
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“Excision of a painful intercostal neuroma and implantation of the proximal end of the nerve into the latissimus dorsi muscle has been found to be effective for neuromas developed following thoracic and upper abdominal surgeries [83].”
From Chronic postsurgical pain: current evidence for prevention and management (2018) · cites this paper as [83]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Williams, E. H., Williams, C. G., Rosson, G. D., Heitmiller, R. F., & Dellon, A. L.
- Affiliations
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Dellon Institutes for Peripheral Nerve Surgery (US)
- MedStar Union Memorial Hospital (US)
- Corresponding author
- Williams, Eric H.
- Venue
- The Annals of Thoracic Surgery
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2008-05
- Volume
- 85
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1766-1770
- ISSN
- 0003-4975 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2119055281
- Cited by
- 70
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 4.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Annals of Thoracic Surgery (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Nerve Injury and Rehabilitation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Treatment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Anesthesia and Pain Management
- Keywords
- intercostal neuralgia, neurectomy, surgical trauma, postoperative pain relief, chronic pain
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Intercostal Nerves, Male, Middle Aged, Neuralgia, Neuroma, Pain Measurement, Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms, Postoperative Complications, Reoperation, Ribs, Muscle, Skeletal
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