Systemic lidocaine decreased the perioperative opioid analgesic requirements but failed to reduce discharge time after ambulatory surgery.

BACKGROUND: In this randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial, we evaluatedwhethersystemiclidocainewouldreducepainandtimetodischargeinambulatorysurgery patients.METHODS: Sixty-seven patients were enrolled to receive lidocaine or saline infusionperioperatively.RESULTS: Length of postanesthesia care unit (PACU) stay did not differ betweengroups. Intraoperative opioid use was significantly less in the lidocaine group, bothin the PACU and during the total study period but not after discharge. In thePACU, patients in the lidocaine group reported less pain (visual analog scale score3.1 2.04 vs 4.5 2.9;