Effect of intra-operative intravenous lidocaine on opioid consumption after bariatric surgery: a prospective, randomised, blinded, placebo-controlled study.

Peri-operative lidocaine infusion warrants investigation in bariatric surgery because obese patients present different physiological and pharmacological risks. This single-centre, prospective, randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study enrolled obese patients scheduled for laparoscopic bariatric surgery using an enhanced recovery protocol. Patients received either lidocaine (bolus of 1.5 mg.kg-1 , then a continuous infusion of 2 mg.kg-1 .h-1 until the end of the surgery, then 1 mg.kg-1 .h-1 for 1 h in the recovery area) or identical volumes and rates of 0.9% saline. The primary outcome was the consumption of the equivalent of oxycodone consumption over the first 3 postoperative days. Secondary outcomes were: postoperative pain; incidence of nausea and vomiting; bowel function recovery; and lengths of stay in the recovery area and in hospital. Plasma concentrations of lidocaine were measured. On the 178 patients recruited, data were analysed from 176. The median (IQR [range]) equivalent intravenous oxycodone consumption was 3.3 mg (0.0-6.0 [0.0-14.5]) and 5.0 mg (3.3-7.0 [3.3-20.0]) in the lidocaine and saline groups, respectively (difference between medians (95%CI): 1.7 (0.6-3.4) mg; p = 0.004). Length of stay in the recovery area, postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting, day of recovery of bowel function, and length of stay in hospital were not different between groups. Mean (SD) lidocaine plasma concentrations were 2.44 (0.70) µg.ml-1 and 1.77 (0.51) µg.ml-1 at the end of surgery and 1 hour after the end of infusion, respectively. Lidocaine infusion during bariatric surgery resulted in a clinically non-relevant difference in postoperative oxycodone consumption.

Surgical management of renal cell carcinoma with levels III and IV tumor thrombus using the « flush ¼ technique.

OBJECTIVE: To determinate feasibility and results of the flush technique by hands for the surgical management of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with levels III and IV inferior vena cava thrombus (VCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study for all patients who underwent a surgical treatment for RCC with levels III and IV VCT in our department between June 2010 and July 2017. Sixteen patients were identified. RESULTS: All tumors were resected using a subcostal incision for right RCC and a chevron incision for the left RCC. Vena cava control was performed only on its subhepatic portion. After renal artery ligature, anesthesiologists were asked to generate a positive pressure in the small circulation. Subsequently, the vena cava was incised longitudinally to the orifice of the renal vein and the thrombus dissected and extracted of the upper part of the vena cava. Only once the supra-renal part of the vena cava was free of thrombus, the supra-renal portion of the vena cava could be clamped. We never had to perform neither thoracotomy nor hepatic mobilization. Therefore, support of a hepatic, vascular or cardiac surgeon was not necessary. The mean operative time was 201 min. The mean estimated blood loss was 2040 ml. No patient died during hospitalization, and mean hospitalization stay duration was 16.6 days. CONCLUSION: The flush technique allows a limitation of the dissection extent. It requires neither hepatic mobilization nor thoracotomy. This results in a decrease in the operative time and blood loss.