Intravenous infusion of lidocaine as a component of multimodal analgesia in children under one year of age after cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND: The use of lidocaine in the scheme of multimodal anesthesia in order to reduce doses of opioids in comparison with traditional anesthesia and the possibility of influencing various links in the pathogenesis of pain is a promising direction in modern cardioanesthesiology.

AIM: This study evaluates the effectiveness of intravenous infusion of lidocaine as a component of multimodal analgesia and its effect on the postoperative period in children under one year of age after surgical correction of congenital heart defects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The prospective comparative study included 81 cardiac surgery patients aged 0 to 1 year. All patients underwent open cardiac surgery by a cardiopulmonary bypass from January 2019 to April 2021. The patients were divided into two groups: the first (n = 40) included patients receiving intravenous lidocaine as a component of multimodal analgesia in the postoperative period, and the second, control (n = 41) patients who were not prescribed lidocaine.

RESULTS: : In patients receiving lidocaine infusion, the need for opioids was significantly lower (p < 0.001), which is also associated with a shorter mechanical ventilation time (p = 0.03). The cortisol levels and most laboratory parameters (the concentration of glucose, lactate, albumin, C-reactive protein, and the level of leukocytes and lymphocytes) in the two patient groups did not differ. Clinical indicators reflecting intestinal paresis development (the appearance of peristalsis, the onset of enteral nutrition, the rate of its increase, and the time when the patient receives the total amount of food only enterally) also did not differ between the groups. No side effects of lidocaine infusion were reported. There were no deceased patients in any of the study groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous infusion of lidocaine as a component of multimodal analgesia after heart surgery in children has an additional opioid-saving effect and shortens the mechanical ventilation time. It is not accompanied by the development of side effects and does not affect the restoration of gastrointestinal functions.