The Effects of Intravenous Lidocaine Infusion During and After Major Abdominal Pediatric Surgery. A Randomized Double-blinded Study

The inflammatory response after major abdominal surgery is of great importance for patients, physicians and perioperative medicine1. Perioperative excessive stimulation of the inflammatory and hemostatic systems may result in development of postoperative ileus, ischemia-reperfusion syndromes, hypercoagulation syndromes (e.g. deep venous thrombosis) and pain excessive inflammatory response such as impaired gastrointestinal motility, so modulation of inflammatory responses may decrease severity of such complications 2,3.

Intravenous lidocaine, a local anesthetic, has been shown to improve postoperative analgesia, reduce postoperative opioid requirements, accelerate postoperative recovery of bowel function, attenuate postoperative fatigue, reduced the duration of hospitalization, and facilitate acute rehabilitation in patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgery 4. Administration of local anesthetics to epidural space has analgesic effect, blunt stress response; provide rapid mobilization, early extubation with rapid recovery of bowel function 5. However, insertion of an epidural catheter carries risks especially in pediatric populations. So, systemic lidocaine may become another strategy for improving perioperative outcome which is safe and effective2.