Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 14, 2025

A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
06:59

A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings

Published on: November 9, 2016

30.6K

Intravenous lidocaine: A transformative approach to reducing opioid use in pediatric burn patients in developing

Carolina Bonilla-González1, Juanita Uribe-Londoño1, Sergio Moreno-Lopez2

  • 1Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Burn Unit, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia; The Burn Centre, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia; Pediatrics Department Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia.

Burns : Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
|July 23, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Intravenous lidocaine effectively reduced opioid use in pediatric burn patients following surgery. This analgesic approach demonstrated safety and efficacy, supporting its role in multimodal pain management strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Burn Care
  • Pain Management
  • Anesthesiology

Background:

  • Effective postoperative pain control is critical for pediatric burn patient recovery.
  • High opioid use in this population is associated with adverse effects and dependency risks.
  • Intravenous lidocaine shows potential analgesic benefits but is understudied in pediatric burn patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of continuous intravenous lidocaine infusion on opioid consumption in pediatric burn patients.
  • To assess the safety profile and potential adverse events associated with lidocaine use in this cohort.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study of 126 pediatric burn patients.
  • Comparison of opioid consumption (morphine equivalents) between patients who received lidocaine and those who did not.
  • Analysis of demographic variables, burn characteristics, and clinical outcomes, including safety data.

Main Results:

  • Patients receiving lidocaine (32.5%) had significantly lower opioid consumption compared to controls (0.07 vs. 0.21 morphine equivalents; p<0.05).
  • Lidocaine was more frequently administered to patients with more severe burns (p<0.001).
  • No adverse events or toxicity were observed with lidocaine infusion up to 1.5 mg/kg/h for 72 hours.

Conclusions:

  • Continuous intravenous lidocaine infusion significantly reduces opioid requirements in pediatric burn patients.
  • Lidocaine is a safe and effective component of multimodal pain management, contributing to opioid-sparing strategies.
  • Further prospective trials are recommended to confirm the safety and efficacy of lidocaine in this patient population.
Abstract

Keywords:
Adverse effectsChildren's burnLidocaine infusionOpioid consumptionPostoperative pain

More Related Videos

Topical Airway Anesthesia for Awake-endoscopic Intubation Using the Spray-as-you-go Technique with High Oxygen Flow05:43

Topical Airway Anesthesia for Awake-endoscopic Intubation Using the Spray-as-you-go Technique with High Oxygen Flow

Published on: January 13, 2017

16.8K
Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation11:19

Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation

Published on: January 17, 2011

17.7K

Related Concept Videos

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia01:16

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia

Intravenous regional anesthesia or the Bier block technique is used to anesthetize a specific limb or extremity. It uses exsanguinated or blood-drained vessels to transport local anesthetics or LAs to the peripheral nerve trunks. Lidocaine without vasoconstrictors like epinephrine is most commonly used for this technique. Other drugs used are prilocaine, ropivacaine, and chloroprocaine. Bupivacaine is not recommended for this technique due to its high cardiac toxicity.
One of the advantages of...
585
Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications01:23

Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications

Local anesthetics (LAs) are commonly used for various applications in medical and dental procedures. Some of the common agents used are cocaine, lidocaine, and bupivacaine.
Cocaine is an ester of benzoic acid and methylecgogine. It is used to anesthetize and vasoconstrict locally. Currently, it is used primarily for topical applications. It is beneficial for surgeries on the upper respiratory tract, providing anesthesia and shrinking the mucosa. Cocaine in the form of cocaine hydrochloride is...
558
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview01:24

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
201
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia01:29

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia

Epidural anesthetics are administered in the fat-filled epidural space, the outermost part of the spinal canal. This technique is commonly employed for pain management and anesthesia during lower abdomen and pelvis surgeries or labor and delivery.
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
501
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia01:30

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia

Depending on the target organ, local anesthetics (LAs) can be administered via various routes. In surface anesthesia, LAs are applied directly to the surface of the skin or mucous membranes. It is widely used for topical skin numbing before venipuncture or minor surgical procedures. Commonly used surface local anesthetics are lidocaine or benzocaine sprays or creams. Surface anesthesia occurs within 5 minutes and lasts for about 60 minutes. One of the main disadvantages of topical anesthesia is...
1.2K
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia01:11

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia

Spinal anesthetics are given during lower abdomen and limb surgeries to block sensory and motor neurons. They are administered in the mid to low lumbar regions, primarily acting on the cauda equina's nerve roots. The blockade level depends on the local anesthetic (LA) concentration. Usually, low LA concentrations are sufficient to block sensory fibers, while only high LA concentrations block motor fibers. Other factors like injection volume and speed, the patient's posture, and the drug...
796