THE USE OF PH ADJUSTED LIGNOCAINE IN CONTROLLING OPERATIVE PAIN IN THE DAY SURGERY UNIT - A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED TRIAL

We report the results of a randomised, case matched, controlled, doubl e blind study on 40 patients undergoing correction of their prominent ears, comparing efficacy of pH adjusted lignocaine to lignocaine alone in controlling operative pain. Each patient received commercial ligno caine in one ear and the same preparation reconstituted with 1 ml of 8 .4% sodium bicarbonate in the other ear according to our randomisation protocol. 30 patients were studied to compare the difference between the buffered and commercial preparation infiltrated at room temperatur e. A further 10 patients were studied to assess the benefit the buffer ed preparation at room temperature had over commercial lignocaine warm ed to body temperature. Linear analogue pain scores for discomfort at infiltration and during the operation itself were analysed. Buffered l ignocaine imparts a significant reduction in pain on infiltration, com pared to the commercial preparation at both room and body temperature. Both preparations were equally effective in obliterating pain during the operation itself.