Wound infiltration with bupivacaine 0.5% with or without adrenaline does not decrease pain after thyroidectomy. A randomized controlled study

Saudi Med J. 2017 Oct;38(10):994-999. doi: 10.15537/smj.2017.10.20294.

Abstract

To study the effect of local wound infiltration with and without adrenaline on pain perception after thyroidectomy using the visual analog score (VAS). Methods: A prospective randomized controlled double-blinded study was conducted between May 2015 and June 2016 at The University of Jordan Hospital, Amman, Jordan. Eighty-nine patients undergoing planned thyroidectomy were included in the study. Patients were divided randomly into 3 groups: Group A, local wound infiltration with bupivacaine 0.5% was administered; Group B, bupivacaine 0.5% with adrenaline was administered; Group C (control), no infiltration was performed. Standardized thyroidectomies were performed in the 3 groups. Pain perception was measured using VAS at 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24 hours after surgery. A comparison between the 3 groups was carried out. Results: No significant differences among the 3 groups were observed at all time points (p=0.246). Visual analog scores were significantly lower at 12 and 24 hours after operations. Conclusion: Local wound infiltration with bupivacaine 0.5% does not decrease pain perception after thyroidectomy performed under general anesthesia, and adding adrenaline does not enhance its effect.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Acetaminophen / therapeutic use
  • Adult
  • Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / therapeutic use
  • Analgesics, Opioid / therapeutic use
  • Anesthetics, Local / therapeutic use*
  • Bupivacaine / therapeutic use*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Drug Combinations
  • Epinephrine / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Injections
  • Jordan
  • Male
  • Meperidine / therapeutic use
  • Middle Aged
  • Morphine / therapeutic use
  • Pain Management
  • Pain Measurement
  • Pain, Postoperative / prevention & control*
  • Surgical Wound*
  • Thyroidectomy / methods*
  • Tramadol / therapeutic use
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vasoconstrictor Agents / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Analgesics, Non-Narcotic
  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Anesthetics, Local
  • Drug Combinations
  • Vasoconstrictor Agents
  • Acetaminophen
  • Tramadol
  • Morphine
  • Meperidine
  • Bupivacaine
  • Epinephrine