Caesarean section wound infiltration with ropivacaine versus placebo: Survey of chronic pelvic pain after 4 years' follow-up

ABSTRACT

Objective.To test the hypothesis that optimal management of postoperative pain may reduce the risk of developing chronic pelvic pain in women who undergo caesarean section.Methods. In a randomised trial in 2006/2007; ropivacaine was infiltrated through all the layers of the anterior abdominal wound in patients undergoing caesarean section. The outcome was a reduction in severe pain or the need for rescue narcotic analgesia within 1 hour after the operation in the ropivacaine group compared with a placebo group (relative risk 0.51; 95 confidence interval 0.38 - 0.69). A follow-up study 4 years later was designed to assess the prevalence of chronic pelvic pain by carrying out telephonic interviews with these women; of whom 77 were contactable and 75 were analysed. Data and statistical analysis were done using Microsoft Excel (2007); Epi Info (version 343) statistical and Review Manager 5 software.Results. Three out of 40 women in the ropivacaine group and 3/35 in the placebo group had persistent pelvic pain (total rate of chronic pelvic pain 8.1).Conclusion. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of chronic pelvic pain between the ropivacaine wound infiltration group (7.5) and the placebo group (8.6) after 4 years' follow-up