Factors Associated With the Development of Chronic Post-Sternotomy Pain: a Case-Control Study.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the factors associated with chronic post-sternotomy pain in heart surgery patients.

Methods: Between January 2013 and February 2014, we evaluated 453 patients with >6 months post-sternotomy for cardiac surgery at a surgical outpatient clinic. The patients were allocated into a group with chronic post-sternotomy pain (n=178) and a control group without pain (n=275).