Relief of pain at rest and during swallowing after modified cautery-assisted uvulopalatopharyngoplasty: bupivacaine versus lidocaine.

Abstract

We investigated the efficacy of bupivacaine, lidocaine, and saline infiltrations to peritonsillar region and uvula and soft palate regions for pain relief after tonsillectomy and modified cautery-assisted uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (MCAUP) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. In this prospective study, 91 patients (32-65 years old) with obstructive sleep apnea underwent tonsillectomy and MCAUP and were divided into 3 groups. In group 1 patients (n = 31), 0.25% bupivacaine HCl + 1/200,000 epinephrine (10 mL); in group 2 patients (n = 31), 1% lidocaine HCl + 1/200,000 epinephrine (10 mL); and in group 3 patients (n = 29), 0.9% saline (10 mL) were injected to peritonsillar region and uvula and soft palate regions. Operation duration, amount of bleeding, and analgesic requirement and visual analog scale for pain at rest and at swallowing were evaluated in all groups. Mean body mass index values were between 27.0 and 27.3 kg/m in all groups. Their apnea-hypopnea index values were between 15.3 and 16.9 per hour, and there were no significant differences between their body mass index and apnea-hypopnea index values. Duration of operation of patients in the bupivacaine group was significantly lower than that of patients in the lidocaine and saline groups. In addition, in the lidocaine group, operation duration was significantly lower than that in the saline group. Bleeding amount and postoperative analgesic requirement of the saline group were significantly higher than those of the bupivacaine and lidocaine groups. Although both these measures (operation duration and amount of bleeding) were statistically significant, a mean operating time of 44.3 versus 46.0 minutes and 64.4-mL versus 68.4-mL blood loss for the bupivacaine and lidocaine groups were clinically irrelevant and not too important. In terms of visual analog scale for pain at rest and/or swallowing, Bupivacaine provided more relief than lidocaine and saline injections. The lidocaine provides pain relief less than bupivacaine and more than saline at rest and/or swallowing. We recommend the use of bupivacaine injections in peritonsillar, uvular, and soft palate regions during tonsillectomy + MCAUP operations. It reduces operation duration and provides more pain relief postoperatively. When patients had cardiac problems, lidocaine may also be recommended because of its cardiac depressant and antiarrhythmic effects and positive effects for pain relief compared with saline injections.