A survey on the use of intravenous lidocaine infusion for acute pain in Scottish Hospitals

摘要

Intravenous (IV) lidocaine infusions are increasingly used in the management of acute pain. They are particularly used in patients undergoing colorectal surgery, where they are also found to decrease rates of postoperative ileus. IV lidocaine has significant toxicity in overdose. There are no current national guidelines or standards on the provision of IV lidocaine infusions. We aimed to get a snapshot of current usage and usage practices in Scottish NHS Hospitals, to identify common themes and variations in practice.