@article{d2ac8a4040e0437faa98446b2470ff03,
title = "Arthroscopic knee surgery does not modify hyperalgesic responses to heat injury",
abstract = "BACKGROUND: Experimental studies suggest that surgical injury may up- or down-regulate nociceptive function. Therefore, the aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the effect of elective arthroscopically assisted knee surgery on nociceptive responses to a heat injury. METHODS: Seventeen patients scheduled to undergo repair of the anterior cruciate ligament and 16 healthy controls were studied. The first burn injury was induced 6 days before surgery, and the second burn was induced 1 day after surgery with a contact thermode (12.5 cm2, 47 degrees C for 7 min) placed on the medial aspect of the calf contralateral to the surgical side. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen were given for 2 days before the first burn injury and again from the time of surgery. In the controls, the two burn injuries were separated by 7 days. Sensory variables included cumulated pain score during induction of the burn (visual analog scale), secondary hyperalgesia area, and mechanical and thermal pain perception and pain thresholds assessed before and 1 h after the burn injury. RESULTS: The heat injuries induced significant increases in pain perception (P < 0.001) and decreases in pain thresholds (P < 0.02). Baseline heat pain thresholds were higher during the second burn injury in patients (P < 0.001) and controls (P < 0.01). However, there were no significant differences in pain to heat injury (P > 0.8), secondary hyperalgesia areas (P > 0.1), mechanical and thermal pain perception (P > 0.1), or mechanical and thermal pain thresholds (P > 0.08) in the burn area before surgery compared to after surgery. CONCLUSION: Arthroscopic knee surgery did not modify nociceptive responses to a contralaterally applied experimental burn injury.",
author = "Werner, {Mads U} and Preben Duun and Otto Kraemer and Birgit Lassen and Henrik Kehlet",
year = "2003",
language = "English",
volume = "99",
pages = "1152--7",
journal = "Anesthesiology",
issn = "0003-3022",
publisher = "Lippincott Williams & Wilkins",
number = "5",
}