Clinical Protocol for the Prospective Double Blind Randomised Controlled Trial for the Use of Intraperitoneal Aerosolized Local Anesthetic

Surgical Technique

1. 30 mls of 0.5% bupivacaine with epinephrine standard dose will be distributed into the trocar site wounds after desufflation of the peritoneal cavity.
2. All the patients will be under a consistent intra-abdominal pressure using CO2 and the laparoscopy will be carried out using the same, routine / typical surgical instruments.

A. Control Group (n=25): Aerosolized normal saline will be introduced at the end of the procedure, using a specially designed sterile catheter. The catheter will be inserted via trocar port under direct vision. The other end of the catheter will be connected to a 72" Edwards Lifesciences pressure tubing (Ref: 50P172), which will be connected to a B&D 20cc syringe filled with 15 ml of normal saline and inserted into a specially designed syringe pump and pressurizing system designed to aerosolize the specified agent. The total dose of patient delivered normal saline will be 10 ml, with 5 ml remaining contained and undelivered within the catheter and 72" pressure tubing. Routine/Typical methods of post-operative pain management will be employed.

B. Aerosolized anesthetic (n=25): at the end of the procedure, the aerosolized local anesthetic will be introduced using a specially designed sterile catheter. The catheter will be inserted via trocar port under direct vision. The other end of the catheter will be connected to a 72" Edwards Lifesciences pressure tubing (Ref: 50P172), which will be connected to a B&D 20cc syringe filled with 15 ml of anesthetic agent and inserted into a specially designed syringe pump and pressurizing system designed to aerosolize the specified agent. The total dose of patient delivered anesthetic will be 10 ml, with 5 ml remaining contained and undelivered within the catheter and 72" pressure tubing. Routine/Typical methods of post-operative pain management will be employed.