Intraoperative Intravenous Lidocaine Prevention of Vomiting in Adnexial Mass Operations

Objective: Postoperative Vomiting (POV) is a common complication in intraabdominal operations. The use of intravenous lidocaine infusion in adult patients who underwent abdominal surgery may prevent POV. We aimed to evaluate the anti-emetic effect of intravenous lidocaine infusion used as an adjuvant to general anesthesia in intra-abdominal operations. Patients: ASA I-III adult women aged 30 to 70 years scheduled for elective adnexal mass operations were selected. Intervention: We have standardized the induction and maintenance of anesthesia in our oncological surgery rooms. Patients were randomly administered lidocaine (1.5 mg.kg-1 intravenous (i.v) lidocaine followed by 2 mg.kg-1.h) or only 0.9% saline (same proportion and volume) for 5 minutes. Infusions were continued until the end of the surgery. Results: 200 women with adnexal mass were operated. In the lidocaine group, 60 (60%) of the 100 patients had POV and 80 (80%) of the 100 patients had POV in the Saline group. The probability of having POV was 20% less than patients receiving lidocaine in the Saline group. The mean lidocaine plasma concentration was 4.1 μg.ml-1 (range: 0.87 to 4.88). Conclusion: The use of intravenous lidocaine infusion as an adjunct to general anesthesia reduced POVN in oncology patients.