Local injection of bupivacaine after rubber band ligation of hemorrhoids: prospective, randomized study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine if local injection of bupivacaine after hemorrhoidal banding causes a decrease in pain and in the incidence of associated symptoms. METHODS: After hemorrhoidal banding, patients were randomly assigned to receive a local injection of bupivacaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine, an injection of normal saline, or no injection, just superior to each band. Pain was graded by the patient and by the study nurse within 30 minutes, and any associated symptoms were recorded. At intervals 6, 24, and 48 hours postbanding, the patient recorded pain, limitation of activities, and analgesic requirements. Associated symptoms while at home were recorded. RESULTS: Of 115 patients studied, 42 received bupivacaine injection, 42 received normal saline injection, and 31 received no injection. In patients receiving bupivacaine compared with no injection, within 30 minutes postbanding there was a significant reduction in pain graded by the patient (P = 0.000002) and by the nurse (P = 0.000005) and a significant reduction in incidence of nausea (P = 0.01) and shaking (P = 0.008). However, in the bupivacaine group compared with the other two groups, at the intervals of 6, 24, and 48 hours postbanding there was no sustained reduction in the severity of pain and no reduction in analgesic requirements or limitation of normal activities. In the week after banding, there was no difference between groups in symptoms of nausea, shaking, lightheadedness, urinary retention, or bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Bupivacaine injection may be useful for reducing pain and associated symptoms long enough to tolerate a trip home from the outpatient department but does not show a sustained effect.

Prevention of adhesion formation with use of sodium hyaluronate-based bioresorbable membrane in a rat model of ventral hernia repair with polypropylene mesh--a randomized, controlled study.

BACKGROUND: There is a high incidence of adhesions after ventral hernia repair with polypropylene mesh. Hyaluronic acid (HA)-based membrane has been shown to reduce the incidence of adhesions in the absence of prosthetic mesh. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of HA membrane on the quantity and grade of adhesions and its effect on strength of repair after abdominal wall repair with polypropylene mesh. METHODS: In 61 rats a full-thickness abdominal wall defect (excluding skin) was created, and a section of small bowel was abraded. The animals were randomized, receiving either HA membrane to cover the viscera or no membrane. The fascial defect was repaired with polypropylene mesh. Equal numbers of animals from each group were killed at 4 weeks and 8 weeks after surgery. Adhesion severity and percentage of mesh surface covered with adhesions were estimated. Tensile strength between mesh and muscle from each animal was measured. Sections of the mesh-muscle interface were examined histologically and measured for thickness and graded for inflammation and fibrosis. RESULTS: Fifty-five animals survived until the end point. Animals in the HA membrane group had a significant reduction in (1) grade of adhesions between small bowel and mesh at 4 weeks (P = .009) and 8 weeks (P = .000001), (2) grade of adhesions between colon and mesh at 8 weeks (P = .00003), and (3) percentage of mesh covered with adhesions at 4 weeks (P = .01) and 8 weeks (P = .0000002). There was no difference between the 2 groups in tensile strength of the repairs, tissue thickness, degree of inflammation, or degree of fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: HA membrane reduces the quantity and grade of adhesions of both small and large bowel, to polypropylene mesh in a rat model of ventral hernia repair, without compromising strength of the repair.