Key Points

• Late postoperative complications are fortunately uncommon after thoracic surgical procedures; however, their rarity makes them even more important to understand.
• Meticulous surgical technique at the time of the original operation is the best way to avoid late postoperative complications, but not all are avoidable.
• Chronic pain is the most common late complication of thoracic surgical procedures and a multi-modality approach is key to proper management.

Postoperative complications are sometimes unavoidable but are best avoided by careful patient selection and meticulous attention to surgical technique.