Intraoperative Lidocaine Infusion as a Sole Analgesic Versus Morphine in Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Surgery

Postoperative opioid-centric pain management strategies in obese patients are accompanied by the possible development of; opioid-induced ventilatory impairment (OIVI) and hypoxemia. This presents as sedation and respiratory depression, combined with upper airway obstruction and hypercapnia. If it remains undetected and untreated, it can result in increased perioperative morbidity and mortality.Thus, an increased interest in the use of non-opioid analgesic adjuncts has been prompted. Intra-operative intravenous lidocaine infusion has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperalgesic, opioid-sparing effects with an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) profile. Its postoperative analgesia may last after reduction of its plasma concentration. So, lidocaine could be a good alternative in bariatric surgery. Lidocaine has been studied as part of an opioid-free multimodal analgesia in morbidly obese patients. Also, its use in bariatric surgery showed a decrease in postoperative opioid use and improvement in the quality of recovery.