Seven-year follow-up of persistent postsurgical pain in cardiac surgery patients: A prospective observational study of prevalence and risk factors.

Seven years after cardiac surgery, almost 10% of patients in this cohort described persistent pain in and around the incision. While higher than previous reports in the literature (limited to up to five post-operative years), this assessment was made following three maximal coughs and therefore is movement or function evoked. High incident of persistent postsurgical pain may adversely affect long-term quality of life which is measured using a validated tool.