The pain control infusion pump for postoperative pain control in shoulder surgery

Purpose: This study was initiated to evaluate the effect of a pain control infusion catheter in managing postoperative pain. Type of Study: In a prosp ective, randomized trial, 62 consecutive patients undergoing arthroscopic s ubacromial decompression had an indwelling pain control infusion catheter p laced at the operative site. Materials and Methods: Thirty-one patients rec eived 0.25% bupivacaine and 31 patients received saline infusions, each at a constant rate of 2 mL per hour. Patients evaluated their pain by visual a nalog scale, and also tabulated the amount of narcotic and nonnarcotic medi cation used each day in the first week of surgery. Results: There was a sta tistically significant difference in pain in all parameters tested in the b upivacaine group as compared with the saline control group (P < .05). Concl usions: The bupivacaine pain control infusion pump is an effective means of decreasing postoperative pain.