Study Finds IV Lidocaine Can Help Post-Surgery Pain After Ambulatory Surgery

A study in the December issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia found that low doses of intravenous lidocaine can help to control pain after common ambulatory surgery procedures, according to a news release from the International Anesthesia Research Society.

The new study led by Danja S. Groves, MD of the University of Virginia, included 67 patients undergoing various types of ambulatory surgery. One group of patients received intravenous injection of lidocaine — the most commonly used local anesthetic — while the other group received a saline solution, according to the release.

After surgery, average pain scores (on a scale of 0 to 10) was about 3 for patients receiving IV lidocaine, compared to 4.5 for those receiving saline solution. Patients in the IV lidocaine group also needed around 40 percent less of strong pain-relieving drugs (opioids) during and after surgery than those receiving saline solution, according to the release.

IV lidocaine did not shorten time until discharge or the need for pain medication at home, according to the study.

According to the release, anesthesiologists generally try to avoid injecting local anesthetics into the bloodstream, as overdoses can be toxic. However, previous studies have found that that IV lidocaine injection is safe in small doses.

Read the release about IV lidocaine in ambulatory procedures.