On Healthy Living

Dutch researchers report that it is common for women who have had C-sections to suffer from chronic pain. This incision is known as the “Pfannenstiel” incision. The Pfannenstiel incision is a curved incision just below the bikini line. In moderate to severe cases, the pain often stems from compression of nearby nerves.

The authors of the research wrote that while this incision is widely used for C-sections and hysterectomies, it has also been used for appendectomies, prostate removal in men and hernia repair. The incision has also been used for many laproscopic type surgeries as well.

Over the years there have been reports linking chronic pain to the incision. As part of a study, a pain survey of 866 women who had a Pfannenstiel incision for a c-section or hysterectomy performed between 2003 and 2004 was conducted. In-person interviews and physical examinations were performed for all patients who described experiencing moderate or severe pain.

The findings? Eighty percent responded to the survey. One third of the patients reported to having chronic pain but only 7% said their pain was moderate to severe. Almost 9% said their pain was bad enough to impair their daily activities. Out of the 32 patients who had the moderate to severe pain, 17 had nerve compression.

ff wrote this on May 12th, 2008 and filed it under Healthy Living, Women's Health |