Statement on the use of lidocaine infusions to treat postoperative pain

The Royal College of Anaesthetists and its Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) are aware of the recent publication in the journal Anaesthesia of a “consensus statement” on the use of intravenous lidocaine infusions for the treatment of postoperative pain.

In view of reports of adverse patient safety incidents related to this off-licence use of lidocaine, the College and FPM strongly encourage clinicians wishing to use lidocaine infusions for postoperative pain to read an editorial that accompanied the publication of the consensus statement. It outlines concerns about this use of lidocaine, sets out circumstances under which it might be reasonable to use this technique, and guides clinicians on when stopping lidocaine infusions might be in a patients’ best interests.

Professor Ravi Mahajan, President, Royal College of Anaesthetists

Dr John Hughes, Dean, Faculty of Pain Medicine