Compare Preperitoneal Analgesia to Epidural Analgesia for Pain Control After Colon and Rectal Surgery

Background Perioperative analgesia is a vital part of the management of patients undergoing colon and rectal surgery, affecting well being and length of hospital stay. Neuraxial anesthetics infused through epidural or spinal catheters have become commonplace pain management agents for patients. These techniques, however, are labor-intensive and expensive. Alternatively, local analgesics may be administered directly to the surgical wound via silver catheters.

Aim Two standard methods of analgesia for pain control for colon and rectal surgery will be evaluated systematically to determine if these two approaches are equivalent in terms of patient pain scores and supplemental narcotic use.

Study Design This is a prospective randomized study of 114 participants undergoing elective colon and rectal surgery at an independent academic medical center. The primary outcomes are post-operative pain control and supplemental narcotic usage.

Other variables of interest

• Surgical site infections
• The post-operative time to return of bowel function
• The hospital expenses/cost differences
• Quality of life measured with the Short Form (SF)- 36 questionnaire

Inclusion criteria

• Age > = 18 years
• Scheduled for elective colon or rectal surgery
• Surgical procedure either through open laparotomy or via minimal invasive approach (laparoscopic)
• Able to provide informed consent
• Able to complete patient questionnaire

Exclusion criteria

• Documented allergic reaction to morphine, hydromorphone, lidocaine, bupivicaine and/or fentanyl
• Contra-indication to placement of epidural catheter (spinal stenosis, spinal fusion, etc)
• Urgent surgery precluding epidural catheter placement
• Systemic Infection contraindicating epidural catheter placement
• Unwillingness to participate in follow up assessments
• Prisoners