THE ROLE OF LIDOCAINE INFUSION IN REDUCING POSTOPERATIVE PAIN AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC COLORECTAL SURGERY: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL

Postoperative pain management remains a critical component in enhancing recovery after laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Intravenous lidocaine infusion has emerged as a potential adjunct for analgesia, yet its efficacy in this context requires further elucidation. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial aimed to assess the impact of intraoperative intravenous lidocaine infusion on postoperative pain and opioid consumption in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic colorectal resections. Eighty patients were randomly assigned to receive either a bolus of lidocaine (1.5 mg/kg) followed by continuous infusion (2 mg/kg/h) during surgery or an equivalent volume of saline. Postoperative pain was evaluated using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours post-surgery, and opioid consumption was recorded. The lidocaine group demonstrated significantly lower VAS scores at all time points (p < 0.05) and reduced total opioid consumption within the first 24 hours postoperatively (mean difference: 15 mg morphine equivalents; p = 0.01). No significant adverse effects were observed. These findings suggest that intraoperative intravenous lidocaine infusion effectively reduces postoperative pain and opioid requirements in laparoscopic colorectal surgery, offering a viable strategy for enhanced recovery protocols.