Use of lidocaine patch for percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy

Lidocaine patch (L5P) has demonstrated short-term efficacy in treating both acute surgical pain and chronic neuropathic pain with tolerable side effects. Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) is the mainstay of minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS). Sufficient analgesia during PELD surgery makes the patient consider it real MISS. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of lidocaine patch in patients who underwent PELD under local anesthesia.

L5P (L group) or placebo (P group) was randomly applied on the skin of the back covering the anticipated path of the working channel before 1 hour of surgery in 100 patients who underwent a single level PELD at L4-L5. Efficacy of the lidocaine patch was assessed by patient's numeric rating scale (NRS) of pain at each stage during the surgery and by a 5-scale grading of the satisfaction with the anesthesia of the operator and patients after surgery.

Mean NRS scores at the stages of needle insertion, skin incision, serial dilation and insertion of working channel, and subcutaneous suture were significantly lower in the L group than the P group. Postoperative operator's and patients' satisfaction scores were also significantly higher in L group than in the P group. There were subtle adverse effects in both groups.

L5P provided better pain relief during PELD, especially at the stage of needle insertion, skin incision, serial dilation and insertion of working channel, and subcutaneous suture. It also provided higher patient and operator postoperative satisfaction, with only subtle adverse effects.