Chronic Pain after Oncologic ENT Surgery

Introduction Pain that lasts at least 3 months after a surgical intervention is defined as chronic postsurgical pain and affects among 10-15% of patients. Considering ENT oncological patients in late stages, pain management is essential and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Material and methods Retrospective study of ten patients treated in ENT Department of "Coltea" Clinical Hospital for late stages neoplastic pathology, in 2016-1017. Furthermore, the treatment was oncological, psychiatric, nutritional and physiotherapeutic. Results There has been evaluated ten cases of neoplastic pathology in late stages: 6 cases of giant cervical lymphadenopathies - squamous carcinoma metastasis; 2 cases of maxillary sinus carcinoma, 1 parotid neoplasm and 1 oropharyngeal cancer. Pain was assessed using Visual Analogue Scale: preoperative, first day after operation and at follow-up. At follow-up, pain was at the superior limits of VAS Scale, in association with the beginning of oncological therapies. All patients received long-term opioids-treatment and with the help of psychotherapy, nutrition and physiotherapy, the results were good, with an increased level of quality of life. Conclusion After surgical and oncological treatment of ENT late-stages oncologic cases, chronic postsurgical pain may appear as a handicap. Pharmacological therapies, by using opioids, improves quality of life, but the approach of this cases must be interdisciplinary, involving: psychotherapy, nutrition, physiotherapy, oncology and last, but not least family involvement.