Minami K, Kabata D, Kakuta T, et al. - This observational cohort study was conducted to determine disparities in the prevalence and severity of chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) following cardiac surgery via thoracotomy vs sternotomy. Participants included 428 patients (sternotomy: 192 patients, thoracotomy: 236 patients) who had a mitral valve repair. A median follow-up of 29 months was performed which revealed the presence of CPSP in 79 patients (sternotomy: 15 patients, thoracotomy: 64 patients). In multivariable ordinal logistic regression, significantly higher were numerical rating scale responses for current pain, peak pain in the last 4 weeks, and average pain in the last 4 weeks in patients who received thoracotomy. As revealed by multivariable logistic regression, CPSP was independently predicted by thoracotomy. Overall, findings showed a higher prevalence as well as severity of CPSP in patients who underwent mitral valve repair via thoracotomy vs sternotomy.