Effect of Incisional Site Infiltration of Bupivacaine on Postoperative Pain and Meperidine Consumption after Midline Laparotomy

The purpose of the current study was to determine whether infiltration of bupivacaine in the incision site of midline laparotomy reduces postoperative pain and opioid consumption. Fifty-six, 30-60 year-old patients who were undergoing midline laparotomy were enrolled in the present study. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups of control (group C, n = 28) or bupivacaine (group B, n= 28). Just before suturing, the incision sites were infiltrated by 20 ml epineprinated bupivacaine 0.25% (group B) or 20 ml normal saline as placebo (group C). The patients were asked to score their pain at 6, 24, and 48 hours after surgery. Demographic characteristics of the patients were similar in the two groups. There was no significant difference in the mean of visual analogue scale pain scores measured over time between the two groups. There was a significant difference in post operative meperidine consumption between the two groups, and in the bupivacaine group, meperidine request was less (90.53 +/- 13.36 mg in bupivacaine group v127.5 +/- 23.14 mg in the control group, P<0.05). After midline laparotomy, incisional site infiltration with 20 ml epineprinated bupivacaine 0.25% causes a significant decrease in postoperative meperidine consumption.