Comparison of Postoperative Pain Scores In Patients With Preincisional Versus Postincisional Local Anesthesia Infiltration At Surgical Site

Mairam Imran, Zahid Mehmood, Fizzah Khalid

Abstract

Objective

To compare the pain scores after local anesthesia infiltration before and after incision at the surgical site.

Study design

Comparative study.

Place & Duration of study

Department of General Surgery Ward 25, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) Karachi, from January 2020 to December 2020.

Methodology

Patients who underwent acute appendicitis were included in the study. After getting written informed consent by lottery method they were divided into two groups. The patients who received preincisional infiltration anesthesia were in Group 1 (study group) and Group II (control group) had postincisional anesthesia at the surgical site. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores were calculated to assess the intensity of postoperative pain at 4, 8 and 24 hours.

Results

A total of 60 patients with acute appendicitis were included. They were divided equally between the two groups (n=30). The mean pain score at 4, 8 and 24 hours in Group I was 4.73+0.78, 3.86+0.68 and 2.33+0.54 respectively while in Group II it was 5.62+1.29, 5.00+0.78 and 3.66+0.66 respectively. The p values at 4-hours was 0.01, at 8-hours 0. 03 and at 24-hours 0.03. These were statistically significant.

Conclusion

Postoperative pain control was better with preincisional infiltration of local anesthetic than with postincisional infiltration.

Key words

Postoperative pain, Lidocaine, Bupivacaine, Appendicitis, Local anesthesia.