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Postoperative pain management remains a significant challenge after abdominal surgery. Dr Yanxia Sun and colleagues evaluated the efficacy of systemic lidocaine for postoperative pain management, and recovery after abdominal surgery. Data were derived from Medline, CINAHL, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Scopus. The team identified randomized controlled trials of systemic administration of lidocaine for postoperative analgesia and recovery after abdominal surgery in adults more than 18 years. Combined data were analyzed with use of a random-effects model.  | | Systemic lidocaine also reduced hospital length of stay following the open procedure | | Diseaeses of the Colon & Rectum |
The team's main outcomes included data on opioid consumption, postoperative pain intensity, opioid-related side effects, time to first flatus, time to first bowel movement, and length of hospital stay were extracted. The team identified 21 trials comparing systemic lidocaine with placebo or blank control for postoperative analgesia, and recovery after abdominal surgery in this meta-analysis. The researchers found that the weighted mean difference for cumulative analgesic opioid (morphine) consumption 48 hours after surgery was –7.04 mg. Systemic lidocaine also significantly reduced postoperative pain intensity 6 hours after surgery at rest, and during activity. The team noted the time to first flatus and bowel movement was significantly shortened with lidocaine intervention by 7 hours, and 12 hours. Systemic lidocaine also reduced hospital length of stay following the open procedure. Dr Sun's team commented, "Perioperative systemic lidocaine may be a useful adjunct for postoperative pain management by decreasing postoperative pain intensity, reducing opioid consumption, facilitating GI function, and shortening length of hospital stay."
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