"Can Perioperative Intravenous Lidocaine Decrease Postoperative Pain After Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeries?": A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Purpose: To determine the efficacy of perioperative intravenous lidocaine in decreasing postoperative pain after oral and maxillofacial surgeries.

Methods: Forty patients undergoing various oral and maxillofacial surgeries under general anesthesia were recruited in this prospective, randomized, double blinded controlled trial. Lidocaine group received Lidocaine 2.0%, whereas the control group received Normal saline 0.9% infusion. Pain intensity, sedation, vitals and side effects were assessed at 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h postoperatively.

Results: Twenty patients were assigned to each group. There were no significant differences between the groups for the study variables at baseline. The median Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) pain scores were higher in normal saline group than lidocaine group at 2 h, 4 h and 6 h and same at 12and 24 h; however, the differences were not statistically significant. Mean (± SD) analgesic consumed in lidocaine group was 47.37 (± 42.80) mg and 69.47(± 36.13) mg in saline group, which was not significant either. Similarly, no statically significant difference was observed for sedation and vitals at all the time intervals.

Conclusion: Perioperative infusion of low dose lidocaine does not have significant effect on reduction in postoperative pain intensity and analgesic consumption, in patients undergoing oral and maxillofacial surgeries. Trail registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03479320).