Patients receiving perioperative intravenous lidocaine, post operative restoration of bowel movement will be faster and decrease pain intensity, opioid consumption and side effects, length of hospital stay; probably as a result of a significant opioid sparing and attenuated inflammatory response.

The aim of this study is to assess whether perioperative intravenous lidocaine has an impact on the early postoperative physical activity recovery of patients scheduled for laparoscopic colorectal resection.

The study focuses on patients with colorectal disease, which receive the laparoscopic (assisted) surgical approach.

It is hypothesized that in those patients receiving perioperative and post-operative intravenous lidocaine, bowel function recovery will be faster, probably as a result of a significant opioid sparing, less pain and attenuated inflammatory response.

Inclusion Criteria:

• scheduled to undergo laparoscopic colorectal resection

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients who have trouble to understand, read or communicate either in French or in English
• dementia
• patients suffering from severe physical disability (arthritis, neuromuscular dysfunction, stroke, paraplegia) or inability to walk or conduct daily activity
• patients suffering from severe cardiac or respiratory disease (status ASA IV
• patients suffering from metastatic carcinoma
• patients who have a history of chemoradiation within the six months preceding surgery
• allergy to lidocaine
• morbid obesity
• patients with chronic opioid use.