EFFECT OF INTERNAL MAMMARY HARVEST ON POSTOPERATIVE PAIN AND PULMONARY-FUNCTION

Forty-three patients undergoing median sternotomy were evaluated for p ostoperative pain and pulmonary function. Group 1 (n = 26) had harvest of the internal mammary artery (IMA) and group 2 (n = 17) did not. Po stoperative pain and pulmonary function were evaluated on the fifth po stoperative day. Both groups showed a decrease in forced expiratory vo lume in 1 second (group 1, 44%; group 2, 39%), but there was no signif icant difference in the loss between the two groups (p = 0.32). Using a numeric rating scale, there was significant increase in postoperativ e pain in group 1 (group 1, 6.35; group 2, 3.82; p = 0.0002). There is a suggestion that internal mammary artery harvesting itself worsens p ostoperative pulmonary function tests, and this may be related to a si gnificant increase in postoperative pain.