Intravenous lidocaine does not reduce length of hospital stay following abdominal hysterectomy.
OBJECTIVE
Intravenous lidocaine given both intraoperatively and postoperatively decreases pain scores, reduces opioid consumption, and promotes faster return of bowel function following abdominal surgery. The purpose of this trial was to determine if intravenous lidocaine limited to the intraoperative period reduces length of hospital stay and improves functional recovery following abdominal hysterectomy.


METHODS
Following Research Ethics Board approval and informed consent, women of American Society of Anesthesiologists' class I and II undergoing abdominal hysterectomy were assigned randomly to lidocaine and control groups. Lidocaine subjects received an intravenous bolus of 1.5 mg.kg(-1) followed by an infusion of 3 mg.kg(-1).hr(-1), while control subjects received matching placebo. Patients, anesthesiologists, and study personnel were blinded, and anesthesia and multimodal perioperative analgesia were standardized. The primary outcome of this trial was discharge from hospital on or before the second postoperative day (POD2). Additional criteria were assessed for secondary outcomes, i.e., discharge fitness on POD2, length of hospital stay, opioid use, numeric rating scores for pain, quality of recovery, and recovery of bowel function.


RESULTS
Ninety of the 93 women who were recruited completed the study protocol. The characteristics of the patients in both groups were similar-lidocaine group (n = 44) and control group (n = 46)-and no difference was noted between groups in the numbers of women discharged from hospital on POD2 (10 lidocaine, 15 control; P = 0.295). Days to discharge fitness (P = 0.666) and length of hospital stay (P = 0.456) were also similar. Differences in opioid consumption, pain scores, and recovery were neither clinically nor statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Intraoperative administration of intravenous lidocaine did not reduce hospital stay or improve objective measures of analgesia and recovery following abdominal hysterectomy. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00382499).
Department of Anesthesiology, The Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus, Ottawa, ON, Canada. glbryson@ottawahospital.on.ca
Gregory L
GL
Bryson
Ilia
I
Charapov
Gregory
G
Krolczyk
Monica
M
Taljaard
Dennis
D
Reid
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D056805:Consciousness Monitors; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007902:Length of Stay; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D011182:Postoperative Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D009020:Morphine; D008012:Lidocaine