Abstract
Before and after surgery in 24 patients scheduled for VATS with genaral anesthesia, the thoracic wall along the proposed line of incision was infiltrated with either 20 ml of saline (G-group, 12 patients) or 20 ml of 1% lidocaine (P-group, 12 patients). Wound pain during mobilization was assessed using the Prince Henry Pain Scale (PHPS) and the Verbal Rating Scale (VRS) and based on the number of times analgesics were administerd. Better analgesia was induced during all stages in the P-group according to PHPS, and it alsoshowed significant improvement (p<0.05) according to VRS. Also, this group showed considerable reduction in postoperative need for opioids compaired to the G-group.Local infiltration with 1% lidocaine in surgical wounds due to VATS improved analgesia postoperatively and is important for attaining good resuls in the use of preemptive analgesia.
