What can be done to ease chest wall pain after surgery?

Narcotic analgesics: Acutely, narcotics, administered by patient controlled analgesia (pca) pump is the commonly used approach. Morphine, dilaudid, and Demerol (meperidine hydrochloride) are most commonly used. After the first few days, oral analgesics like vicodin or Percocet are usually used. Mechanical manipulation of the forming scar by well trained occupational therapists can be helpful for sub-acute or chronic pain after surgery.

Multiple: Early: intravenous pain meds oral pain meds, narcotics early and nsaids later we use some local injections, or pain infusers in some folks after specific operations.