A double blind randomized trial of wound infiltration with ropivacaine after breast cancer surgery with axillary nodes dissection

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Background</jats:title> <jats:p>The effect of local infiltration after breast surgery is controversial. This prospective double blind randomized study sought to document the analgesic effect of local anaesthetic infiltration after breast cancer surgery.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods</jats:title> <jats:p>Patients scheduled for mastectomy or tumorectomy and axillary nodes dissection had immediate postoperative infiltration of the surgical wound with 20 ml of ropivacaine 7.5 mg.ml<jats:sup>-1</jats:sup> or isotonic saline. Pain was assessed on a visual analogue scale at H2, H4, H6, H12, H24, H72, and at 2 month, at rest and on mobilization of the arm. Patient'comfort was evaluated with numerical 0-3 scales for fatigue, quality of sleep, state of mood, social function and activity.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Results</jats:title> <jats:p>Twenty-two and 24 patients were included in the ropivacaine and saline groups respectively. Postoperative pain was lower at rest and on mobilization at 2, 4 and 6 hour after surgery in the ropivacaine group. No other difference in pain intensity and patient 'comfort scoring was documented during the first 3 postoperative days. Patients did not differ at 2 month for pain and comfort scores.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title> <jats:p>Single shot infiltration with ropivacaine transiently improves postoperative pain control after breast cancer surgery.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Trial registration number</jats:title> <jats:p> <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01404377" ext-link-type="uri">NCT01404377</jats:ext-link> </jats:p> </jats:sec>