Wound Infiltration as Part of an Opioid Free Pain Management Pathway Following Cesarean Delivery

Randomized Control Trial for an Opioid Free Analgesic Pathway Post Cesarean Delivery

This study will investigate the effect of three types of wound infiltration on post Cesarean opioid analgesia consumption when used in conjunction with an opioid free postoperative analgesia pathway.

The subjects that meet the inclusion criteria of the study will be randomized preoperatively into three arms following a 1:1:1 ratio. During the intraoperative course one of three combinations of wound infiltration will be administered to subjects prior to the closure of the surgical incision. Subjects in Group I will receive a placebo of normal saline. Subjects in Group II will receive bupivacaine alone. Subjects in Group III will receive both bupivacaine and dexmedetomidine.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All scheduled Cesarean deliveries with intrathecal or epidural anesthesia

Exclusion Criteria:

• Emergency Cesarean deliveries
• Multifetal gestation
• Subjects <18 years old
• Subjects belonging to a vulnerable population (including subjects with a known opioid addiction, subjects with a history of mental illness and prisoners)
• Cesarean delivery with general anesthesia
• Known allergy or hypersensitivity to any of the study medications
• Subjects that can't comprehend the visual analog scale for quantitative pain assessment