Intravenous Lidocaine Administered as Twice Daily Bolus and Continuous Infusion for Intractable Cancer Pain and Wound...

Intravenous lidocaine is an option for intractable pain caused by advancing cancer and wound care. We report a case of intractable cancer pain and wound care pain managed with concurrent use of lidocaine administered as a twice daily intravenous bolus in addition to continuous intravenous infusion.

A 31-year-old male with rapidly progressing locally advanced squamous cell cancer affecting the gluteal area developed extensive painful and purulent ulcerating wounds affecting the coccyx, superior gluteal cleft, and buttocks. Laboratory tests were within normal limits, except for low albumin results. The patient's Palliative Performance Score was 60%. A trial of intravenous lidocaine 150 mg administered twice daily before dressing changes improved analgesia according to the patient's report. For additional improvement, a continuous intravenous infusion of lidocaine 1 mg/minute was initiated, in addition to the twice daily bolus infusions of lidocaine. The patient's pain score with dressing changes improved from 8-10 of 10 to 4-5 of 10 within 24 hours after initiation of the continuous intravenous lidocaine infusion. Lidocaine infusion was administered for a period of 45 days with targeted lidocaine blood levels not exceeding 5 mcg/mL. Twice daily lidocaine bolus infusions before dressing changes were administered for a total duration of 63 days. The lidocaine continuous intravenous infusion was discontinued on day 45 of therapy as a potential contributing factor to central nervous system adverse effects and in anticipation of transition to a subacute rehabilitation facility.

Intravenous lidocaine added to the efficacy of standard analgesic medications and nerve block procedures in our patient. This case demonstrates increasing blood lidocaine levels with continuous intravenous infusion despite stable clinical parameters and laboratory markers of major organ function. Monitoring lidocaine levels is a prudent course of action to identify drug accumulation with administration of lidocaine by continuous intravenous infusion.