POSTOPERATIVE ANALGESIA: A LOCAL SOLUTION

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Surgical Pain Management
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Effective postoperative analgesia is crucial for patient recovery and satisfaction.
• Traditional pain management strategies may involve systemic opioids, carrying risks of side effects.
• Continuous wound infusion offers a localized approach to pain control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of continuous wound perfusion with bupivacaine for postoperative analgesia.
• To assess the impact of this technique on opioid requirements and patient satisfaction.
• To determine the influence on wound healing and hemodynamic stability.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 25 patients (ASA grade I/II) undergoing various surgical procedures.
• Implementation of an indwelling intracatheter for continuous wound perfusion with 0.25% bupivacaine.
• Postoperative pain assessment using a visual analogue scale, monitoring of analgesic requirements, and evaluation of wound healing and patient satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Only 12% of patients required supplemental opioids on postoperative Day One.
• No systemic or local adverse effects related to bupivacaine infiltration were observed.
• Excellent postoperative analgesia and high patient satisfaction were reported.

Conclusions:

• Continuous wound perfusion with bupivacaine is a simple, safe, and effective method for postoperative pain management.
• This technique significantly reduces the need for opioid analgesia, improving patient outcomes.
• The method demonstrates favorable safety profile regarding wound healing and hemodynamic stability.