Intrathecal lidocaine and sufentanil shorten postoperative recovery after outpatient rectal surgery.
OBJECTIVE
A short recovery time for same day surgery is important to the patient and the hospital. A prospective, randomized, double-blinded study in the postanesthetic care unit was designed to compare the recovery time from spinal anesthesia with low-dose intrathecal (IT) lidocaine and sufentanil to that with IT lidocaine alone. The incidence of adverse effects was also assessed.


METHODS
Forty-nine patients (ASA I-III, age 20-69 yr) underwent spinal anesthesia for rectal surgery. The patients were randomized into two groups. One group (n = 28) received low-dose IT lidocaine (15 mg) and sufentanil (10 microg) and the other group (n = 21) received IT lidocaine (50 mg). The time to ambulation, the incidence of pruritus, and other variables were recorded. Statistical difference was assumed if P < 0.05.


RESULTS
Our results show a significantly shorter ambulation time (120 +/- 26 min) after IT low-dose lidocaine (15 mg) and 10 microg sufentanil vs 50 mg IT lidocaine (162 +/- 32 min, P < 0.0001). Patients who received IT lidocaine and sufentanil recovered faster. Fifty percent of the patients who received IT sufentanil suffered from pruritus.


CONCLUSIONS
IT lidocaine (15 mg) and sufentanil resulted in a shorter time to ambulation compared to IT lidocaine (50 mg) alone and provided excellent anesthesia despite its disadvantage of pruritus.
Division of Postanesthesia Care, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, 1901 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. 74731.463@compuserve.com
Beverly
B
Waxler
Shirley A
SA
Mondragon
Sonal N
SN
Patel
Kochuthresia
K
Nedumgottil
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000379:methods; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007278:Injections, Spinal / Q000379:methods; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012007:Rectum / Q000601:surgery*; D017409:Sufentanil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008012:Lidocaine; D017409:Sufentanil