Intravenous lidocaine in spine surgery: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the role of intravenous lidocaine as a supplemental pain control modality in patients undergoing spine surgery. METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving the use of supplemental intravenous lidocaine in spine surgery. We developed a comprehensive search strategy to adequately screen for randomized controlled trials involving intravenous lidocaine in spine surgery. Continuous outcomes included postoperative opiate consumption and postoperative pain scores. Dichotomous outcomes included nausea, vomiting, pneumonia, delirium, and wound infection. RESULTS: A total of 3 RCTs comprising 235 patients were selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Cumulative morphine consumption at 48 h was not statistically significant between lidocaine and control groups. Postoperative pain was not statistically significant at any measured time points in the first and second day postoperatively. There was no statistical difference in postoperative complications including nausea, vomiting, pneumonia, delirium, or surgical site infection. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that current literature does not support the use of intravenous lidocaine as an adjunctive measure of pain management after spine surgery. Given the relatively few numbers of studies in this field, further randomized controlled trials are needed to make a definitive conclusion on the effectiveness of lidocaine in spine surgery patients.