Perioperative Lidocaine Administration in Thoracoscopic Surgery for Improved Postoperative Pain Control

Prospective, Randomized, Double Blind, Superiority Trial, Evaluating the Effect of Perioperative Lidocaine on Postoperative Opioid Consumption, Pain Ratings, Duration of Hospital Stay, Time to First Defecation, 30-day Mortality and Development of Chronic Pain in Patients Undergoing Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Procedures

Placebo-controlled study to analyze the effect of perioperative intravenous lidocaine administration on total morphine consumption (TMC) and on pain intensity in thoracoscopic surgery .

Thoracoscopy (thoracic surgery) is a video-assisted minimally invasive operation in thoracic surgery, which is associated with pain after surgery. Trial drug Lidocaine is approved as pain medication. This placebo-controlled study analyzes the effect of perioperative intravenous lidocaine administration on total morphine consumption (TMC) and on pain intensity in thoracoscopic surgery .

Half of the patients will receive NaCl 0.9% (a saline solution without active ingredient) instead of Lidocaine.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic procedures under general anaesthesia.
• American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical Status classes I to III
• age ≥ 18 years
• Patient informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Contraindications to the class of drugs under study, e.g. known hypersensitivity or allergy to class of drugs or the investigational product
• Contraindications to self-administration of opioids
• Women who are pregnant or breast feeding
• Steroid therapy
• Chronic pain therapy
• Atrioventricular block grade II to III
• Congestive heart failure
• Liver insufficiency
• Known or suspected non-compliance, drug or alcohol abuse
• Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language problems, psychological disorders, dementia
• Participation in another study with investigational drug within the 30 days preceding and during the present study,
• Enrolment of the investigator, his/her family members, employees and other dependent persons