Acute Postoperative Pain After Caesarean Section, Intensity and Management: A Cohort Multicentre Study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) following caesarean delivery remains poorly studied despite being one of the most common surgeries and its potential devastating consequences on patients and their newborn babies. We conducted a prospective evaluation of data from a large multicentric cohort to calculate its prevalence, describe its characteristics, risk factors associated and measure its consequences on patients' quality of life and daily functioning. METHODS: A prospective multicentre observational study with women undergoing elective caesarean section. All participants were contacted at 3 months postoperatively to assess the presence or absence of persistent pain. Pain patients were assessed in person to collect data from a focused clinical interview, a targeted physical exam and a set of comprehensive quality of life and functional questionnaires. RESULTS: CPSP was diagnosed in 69 women (14.59%) of the 514 total participants. Most (94.20%) described their pain with somatic-like characteristics. 46.38% also screened positive for neuropathic features and 41.51% fulfilled diagnostic criteria for chronic pelvic pain. Preoperative SF-12 and catastrophic scale and worse postoperative pain at 24 h were related to a higher risk of developing CPSP. Patients with CPSP reported moderate interference in mood, general activity and occupational functioning being more severe in patients with neuropathic pain. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of persistent pain after caesarean delivery is noticeably high for such a common, simple and benign surgical procedure. A subset of patients develops mixed neuropathic pain and chronic pelvic pain syndromes. CPSP causes a significant negative impact on quality of life, particularly among patients with neuropathic symptoms. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This manuscript presents the analysis of the results of a multicentre study regarding the prevalence of CPSP after a caesarean section. Moreover, we have also looked for clinical characteristics of CPSP and its effects on quality of life and daily functioning. The study we describe provides new insights about which the incidence, type, location of CPSP after a caesarean section and association with chronic pelvic pain. It also shows the impact that having CPSP has on these patients' quality of life and activities of daily living.
Source: European Journal of Pain
DOI: 10.1002/ejp.70183
Authors: Carles Espinós Ramírez, Pere Castellví Obiols, David Martínez‐Rodríguez, Mireia Raynard, Blanca Viscasillas Draper, Paula Masgoret, Cristina Rodríguez Cosmen, Laura Subirana Giménez, Maria Martinez García, Gerard Mestres, Martha Melo, Alexia Nebot Galindo, Natalia Montero Gaig, Virginia Sánchez‐Migallón, David Valencia Royo, Núria Lara Pacheco Comino, Inés Bermejo Perez, Cristina Santos Farré, Lluís Toll Salillas, Arnau Alonso Gelabert, Marta Homs, Patricia Ribas, Claudia Teixell, Ana María Plaza Moral, Beatriz Tena, Adrián Fernández Castiñeira, Mireia Armengol Gay, Beatriz Fort Pelai, Carolina García Bartoló, Carolina Mestre Iniesta, Anna Peig Font, Paula Gil Esteller, Jean Louis Clave, Sandra Gasca Pera, Astrid Batalla, Virginia Raduá Giménez, Gisela Roca Amatria
Institutions: Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat Politècnica de València, Hospital Universitario Dexeus, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Hospital Del Mar, Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Hospital de Sant Pau, Maresme Health Consortium, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, University Hospital Mútua de Terrassa, Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor
Language: English
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4416816357