Efficacy and Safety of Intraperitoneal Local Anesthetics in Laparoscopic Appendectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Perioperative pain management for appendicectomy: A systematic review and Procedure-specific Postoperative Pain Management recommendations

BACKGROUND

Despite being a commonly performed surgical procedure, pain management for appendicectomy is often neglected because of insufficient evidence on the most effective treatment options.

OBJECTIVE

To provide evidence-based recommendations by assessing the available literature for optimal pain management after appendicectomy.

DESIGN AND DATA SOURCES

This systematic review-based guideline was conducted according to the PROSPECT methodology. Relevant randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the English language from January 1999 to October 2022 were retrieved from MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Databases using PRISMA search protocols.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

We included studies on adults and children. If articles reported combined data from different surgeries, they had to include specific information about appendicectomies. Studies needed to measure pain intensity using a visual analogue scale (VAS) or a numerical rating scale (NRS). Studies that did not report the precise appendicectomy technique were excluded.

RESULTS

Out of 1388 studies, 94 met the inclusion criteria. Based on evidence and consensus, the PROSPECT members agreed that basic analgesics [paracetamol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)] should be administered perioperatively for open and laparoscopic appendicectomies. A laparoscopic approach is preferred because of lower pain scores. Additional recommendations for laparoscopic appendicectomies include a three-port laparoscopic approach and the instillation of intraperitoneal local anaesthetic. For open appendicectomy, a preoperative unilateral transverse abdominis plane (TAP) block is recommended. If not possible, preincisional infiltration with local anaesthetics is an alternative. Opioids should only be used as rescue analgesia. Limited evidence exists for TAP block in laparoscopic appendicectomy, analgesic adjuvants for TAP block, continuous wound infiltration after open appendicectomy and preoperative ketamine and dexamethasone. Recommendations apply to children and adults.

CONCLUSION

This review identified an optimal analgesic regimen for open and laparoscopic appendicectomy. Further randomised controlled trials should evaluate the use of regional analgesia and wound infiltrations with adequate baseline analgesia, especially during the recommended conventional three-port approach.

REGISTRATION

The protocol for this study was registered with the PROSPERO database (Registration No. CRD42023387994).

The impact of timing, type, and method of instillation of intraperitoneal local anaesthetic in laparoscopic abdominal surgery: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Pain is common after laparoscopic abdominal surgery. Intraperitoneal local anaesthetic (IPLA) is effective in reducing pain and opioid use after laparoscopic surgery, although the optimum type, timing, and method of administration remains uncertain. We aimed to determine the optimal approach for delivering IPLA which minimises opioid consumption and pain after laparoscopic abdominal surgery.

METHODS

MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases were systematically searched for randomised controlled trials comparing different combinations of the type (bupivacaine vs lidocaine vs levobupivacaine vs ropivacaine), timing (pre-vs post-pneumoperitoneum at the beginning or end of surgery), and method (aerosol vs liquid) of IPLA instillation in patients undergoing any laparoscopic abdominal surgery. A network meta-analysis was conducted to ascertain the optimum approach for delivering IPLA resulting in the least cumulative opioid consumption and pain (overall and localising to the shoulder) 24 h after surgery. Certainty of evidence was evaluated using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) assessments (PROSPERO ID: CRD42022307595).

RESULTS

Twenty-five RCTs were included, among which 15 different combinations of delivering IPLA were analysed across 2401 participants. Aerosolised bupivacaine instilled at the end of surgery, before deflation of the pneumoperitoneum, was associated with significantly less postoperative opioid consumption compared with all other approaches for delivering IPLA (98.7% of comparisons; moderate certainty), aside from liquid levobupivacaine instilled before surgery and during or after creation of the pneumoperitoneum (mean difference -11.6, 95% credible interval: -26.1 to 2.5 i.v. morphine equivalent doses). There were no significant differences between different IPLA approaches regarding overall pain scores and incidence of shoulder pain up to 24 h after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

There are limited studies and low-quality evidence to conclude on the optimum method of delivering IPLA in laparoscopic abdominal surgery. While aerosolised bupivacaine instilled at the end of surgery but before deflation of the pneumoperitoneum minimises postoperative opioid consumption, pain scores up to 24 h did not differ between the different modalities of delivering IPLA. The generalisability of these results is limited by the lack of utilisation of non-opioid analgesics in most trials.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42022307595.

Effect of Intraperitoneal Local Anesthetics in Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

OBJECTIVE

The effectiveness of intraperitoneal local anesthesia (IPLA) has been confirmed in other fields, but its use in bariatric surgery remains debatable. This study aimed to evaluate the analgesic effect of IPLA in bariatric surgery.

METHODS

PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to February 2022. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing IPLA's analgesic effect in bariatric surgery were included in this study. Pain-related indicators were the outcome.

RESULTS

Ten RCTs with 979 patients were included. Postoperative pain scores were significantly lower in IPLA group. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that IPLA was associated with lower pain scores in 6 h and at 24 h compared to the control group, without significant differences at 8, 12, and 48 h. Meanwhile, IPLA reduced the dose of opioids taken postoperatively. Additionally, there were no differences in adverse events between the two groups. As far as the number of postoperative analgesics used and hospital stays were concerned, our results did not show statistical differences between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

IPLA can reduce postoperative pain safely and effectively, particularly during the early postoperative stage.

The Effect of Subcutaneous and Intraperitoneal Instillation of Local Anesthetics on Postoperative Pain after Laparoscopic Varicocelectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: The main goal of the present randomized clinical trial was to investigate the effects of subcutaneous administration of two different local anesthetics at trocar incision sites at the abdominal wall in combination with intraoperative intraperitoneal instillation of local anesthetics, on the character of postoperative pain, in adolescents who underwent laparoscopic varicocelectomy. Methods: A total of 60 patients with a median age of 16 years, who received laparoscopic varicocele repair, were included in this randomized clinical trial. The patients were randomly assigned to three study groups receiving 2% lidocaine, 0.5% levobupivacaine, or the control group. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used by a blinded nurse at four different time points (2, 6, 12 and 24 h after the surgery) to measure pain intensity. Results: The significant effect of time on the pain intensity (p = 0.001) was found. Additionally, the interaction between time and different local analgesics (p < 0.001) was observed. In patients in whom 0.5% levobupivacaine has been used, significantly lower VAS pain scores were recorded at each time point assessed, in comparison with the patients who received 2% lidocaine or the patients from the control group in whom no local anesthetic was applied (p < 0.001). Furthermore, in patients in whom 2% lidocaine was administrated, significantly lower pain levels according to VAS were reported than in those from the control group, except for the time point at 24 h after surgery when pain levels were comparable. Concerning the postoperative pain control, the number of patients who requested oral analgesics postoperatively was significantly lower in the group of patients in whom local anesthetic was administrated intraoperatively (2% lidocaine—n = 4, 20%; 0.5% levobupivacaine—n = 1, 5%) compared to the patients who did not receive any local anesthetic during the surgery (n = 13; 65%) (p < 0.001). Conclusion: A significant reduction in postoperative pain intensity and analgesics consumption in patients undergoing laparoscopic varicocelectomy who received intraoperative local anesthetic was observed. The best effect on postoperative pain intensity, according to the VAS score, was achieved by 0.5% levobupivacaine.