TY - JOUR
T1 - Local anaesthetic flush reduces postoperative pain and haematoma formation after great saphenous vein stripping - A randomised controlled trial
AU - Nisar, A.
AU - Shabbir, J.
AU - Tubassam, M. A.
AU - Shah, A. R.
AU - Khawaja, N.
AU - Kavanagh, E. G.
AU - Grace, P. A.
AU - Burke, P. E.
PY - 2006/3
Y1 - 2006/3
N2 - Objectives. To observe the effect of local anaesthetic flush through the great saphenous vein (GSV) tunnel on postoperative pain and haematoma formation following saphenous vein stripping operations. Design. Prospective, double-blind, randomised, control trial. Methods. One hundred patients were randomized to receive 20 ml of local anaesthetic (bupivacaine 0.25%+adrenaline) or saline control flush through the GSV tunnel after stripping in a double-blind study. Visual analogue pain scores were used to measure postoperative pain daily for the 1st week, then at 3 weeks and 6 weeks. Patients were examined during the 1st, 3rd and 6th week for haematoma formation. Results. In the control group the median postoperative pain score was 4 (range 0-7) in the immediate postoperative period compared to a median of 1 (range 0-4) in the LA group (p<0.001). The median pain score on day-4 was 4 (range 1-6) (control) vs. 1 (range 0-3) (LA group) (p<0.001, Mann-Whitney Utest) and on day-6 it was 1 (range 0-5) (control) vs. 0 (range 0-5) (LA group) (p<0.001, Mann-Whitney). Twelve patients (24%) developed a haematoma in the GSV tunnel in the control group compared to three patients (6%) in the LA group (p=0.007). Conclusion. Flushing of the GSV tunnel with bupivacaine plus adrenaline significantly reduces postoperative pain and haematoma formation in patients undergoing GSV stripping for varicose veins.
AB - Objectives. To observe the effect of local anaesthetic flush through the great saphenous vein (GSV) tunnel on postoperative pain and haematoma formation following saphenous vein stripping operations. Design. Prospective, double-blind, randomised, control trial. Methods. One hundred patients were randomized to receive 20 ml of local anaesthetic (bupivacaine 0.25%+adrenaline) or saline control flush through the GSV tunnel after stripping in a double-blind study. Visual analogue pain scores were used to measure postoperative pain daily for the 1st week, then at 3 weeks and 6 weeks. Patients were examined during the 1st, 3rd and 6th week for haematoma formation. Results. In the control group the median postoperative pain score was 4 (range 0-7) in the immediate postoperative period compared to a median of 1 (range 0-4) in the LA group (p<0.001). The median pain score on day-4 was 4 (range 1-6) (control) vs. 1 (range 0-3) (LA group) (p<0.001, Mann-Whitney Utest) and on day-6 it was 1 (range 0-5) (control) vs. 0 (range 0-5) (LA group) (p<0.001, Mann-Whitney). Twelve patients (24%) developed a haematoma in the GSV tunnel in the control group compared to three patients (6%) in the LA group (p=0.007). Conclusion. Flushing of the GSV tunnel with bupivacaine plus adrenaline significantly reduces postoperative pain and haematoma formation in patients undergoing GSV stripping for varicose veins.
KW - Bupivacaine
KW - Haematoma
KW - Long saphenous tunnel
KW - Postoperative pain control
KW - Saphenous vein stripping
KW - Varicose veins
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33144485741&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ejvs.2005.08.006
DO - 10.1016/j.ejvs.2005.08.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 16236532
AN - SCOPUS:33144485741
SN - 1078-5884
VL - 31
SP - 325
EP - 331
JO - European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
JF - European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
IS - 3
ER -