IV Lidocaine Analgesia in Pediatric Scoliosis Surgery

Objectives:

The primary objective of this study is to determine if perioperative IV lidocaine therapy (P-IVLT) reduces 48-hour post-operative morphine utilization compared with a control, in adolescents undergoing PSIF. Secondary objectives of this study are to determine the effect of P-IVLT on self-reported pain scores, time to documented first stand, time to first walk of greater than 15 steps, and length of hospital stay (LOS).

Research Methods:

This will be a placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized control trial (RCT) comparing 48-hour postoperative morphine utilization among adolescents undergoing PSIF who have been randomly assigned to one of two groups:

Intervention group (A) will receive P-IVLT in addition to the standard multimodal analgesia. P-IVLT will consist of 1 mg/kg bolus at start of anesthesia (T0), followed by 2 mg·kg-1·hr-1 infusion for 8 hours (T1), then continued at 1 mg·kg-1·hr-1 infusion thereafter and postoperatively until T0 + 48 hours (T2).

Control group (B) will receive a placebo (0.9% sodium chloride also known as normal saline), made to mimic the intervention protocol above, in addition to the standard multimodal analgesia.

Inclusion criteria

• ASA I-III
• Diagnosed with Idiopathic scoliosis
• Undergoing single-stage posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion

Exclusion criteria

• Thorascopic tethering procedure
• Two-stage procedure
• Abnormal developmental profile
• Congenital/neuromuscular scoliosis
• Requiring PICU admission
• Known allergy to lidocaine
• Known cardiac, renal or liver disease or dysfunction
• Pre-existing pain complaints, i.e. on regular analgesic medications
• Current psychiatric diagnosis, e.g. anxiety, depression, eating disorder, defined according to DSM criteria.
• Requiring non-standard post-op pain management
• Any history of seizures
• Unplanned staged procedure
• Weight < 5th centile or > 85th centile for age
• Porphyria