Effect of wound infiltration of ropivacaine in postoperative pain after extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy

Purpose. - Evaluation of the efficiency of wound infiltration of ropivacaine in postoperative pain after extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Material and methods. - Prospective single institution study included 130 patients treated by extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy from January to March 2007. One hundred and two patients were included and randomised in two groups according to the year of birth (pair or impair). Only patients from the first group (year pair) had wound infiltration at the end of the procedure. The second group (year impair) was the control group. An analogic visual scale (EVA) permitted evaluation of pain at 30 minutes, 1, 6 and 12 hours after the procedure. Use of analgesics after procedure were noted for each patient. Results. - In the first group, the median of EVA was 1.44, 1.34, 1.72 and 1.51 respectively at 30 minutes, 1, 6 and 12 hours. In the second group, the median of EVA was 1.28, 1.36, 1.46 and 1.44. We found no statistically significant difference for pain and use of analgesic between the two groups (p = 0.71, 0.96, 0.47 and 0.86 respectively at 30 minutes, 1, 6 and 12 hours). Conclusion. - Ropivacaine in wound infiltration did not decrease significantly the postoperative pain and must not be used systematically. (C) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.