Perioperative Chest Pain Clinical Trial
Official title:
Lidocaine 5% Patch (Lidoderm) for the Perioperative Prevention of Acute and Chronic Chest Pain Following Robotic Valve Surgery
The post-thoracotomy pain (PTP) has been defined as persistent or recurrent pain that lasts
for at least 2 month after thoracotomy and is associated with surgical incision or its
intercostal nerve cutaneous distribution. The latter has a prevalence of about 15% to 20%. In
about 80% of the patients such pain is moderate to severe in intensity and is associated with
depression and insomnia. According to its characteristics and possible etiology, PTP is part
of the neuropathic pain syndromes. Patients describe their chest wall pain as shooting,
burning and numbness which are descriptors often seen in other neuropathic pain syndromes.
PTP occurs most likely after partial or complete intercostal nerve damage secondary
mechanical trauma (nerve traction or compression) during surgery. The concern is that when
robotic surgery for minimally invasive approach to the heart valves or vessels such
compression and consequent damage may happen to intercostal nerves.
Therapeutic use for a lidocaine patch include post-herpetic neuralgia postthoracotomy pain,
stump neuroma pain, intercostal neuralgia, diabetic polyneuropathy, meralgia paresthetica,
complex regional pain syndrome, radiculopathy, postmastectomy pain and some other focal
peripheral neuropathic pain syndromes. It is an effective and safe topical treatment. Its
efficacy demonstrated previously in treatment of intercostal neuralgia and some patients with
post-thoracotomy syndrome can be used in treatment of perioperative chest pain related to
robotic cardiac surgery. Hypothesis is that the use of topical lidocaine will decrease pain
in acute phase after the surgery and decrease intensity of post-thoracotomy pain 6 months
after such procedure.
The effect of topical 5% lidocaine will be clinically evaluated through prospective,
randomized, placebo, double-blind study. Each patient will be assessed at admission and then,
one week after Valve Replacement (Recommended surgical procedures do not included harvesting
of leg vessels as this could be a potential confounder). Then, one month, three and six month
follow-up for all patients by mailing questionnaires and phone calls.
Upon admission, as well as 1 week, 1month, 3months and 6 months following surgical procedure,
the following tests will be performed:
- Pain Disability Index (PDI)
- DASS
- VAS Pain Score
- Opioid use (in MSO4 mg equivalents)
- Global Perceived Effect (GPE) or patient satisfaction
n/a