Pain Relief for Lung Transplantation

Lung transplantation is a life-saving procedure for people with severe, end-stage lung disease. However, the surgery involves major incisions between the ribs that can cause intense pain for weeks and sometimes lead to lasting nerve pain. This study from St Vincent's Public Hospital Sydney is comparing two newer pain management techniques used alongside standard opioid medications: a local anaesthetic catheter placed near the ribs, and cryotherapy (freezing the nerves temporarily using extreme cold). Participants will be randomly assigned to receive one of the two techniques during their lung transplant surgery. Researchers will measure how much time patients spend in ICU, how well their pain is controlled, and whether either approach reduces longer-term nerve pain — with the aim of helping future lung transplant patients have a better recovery. You may be eligible if you are 18 or older, undergoing a single or double lung transplant at St Vincent's Public Hospital Sydney, and have sufficient English skills to provide informed consent. People with a local anaesthetic allergy, those having a heart-lung transplant, or those whose surgery will use a clamshell incision are not eligible.