Comparative Study between Lidocaine 2% and Dexamethasone Local Wound Infiltration Effect on Postoperative Pain Post Mastectomy: A Randomized Controlled Study

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of Lidocaine 2% versus Dexamethasone injected locally in mastectomy wound as pain relieving agents. Materials & Methods: A randomized single-blinded study in which 50 patients candidate for Mastectomy were included. Participants were equally randomized into two groups; Group A, in which patients received 10 ml Lidocaine 2% and Group B, in which patients received 16 mL Dexamethasone. In both groups, the drugs were given via local infiltration in the subcutaneous layer of the Mastectomy wound immediately after skin closure. Pain control was assessed post-operatively in the first 24 hours using the visual analogue scale (VAS) in addition the need for additional analgesia was recorded. Results: There was a statistically significant lower VAS score in group A (Lidocaine group) when compared to those in group B (Dexamethasone group) 1 h, 6 h, 12 h postoperatively with no significance 24 h postoperatively (36% vs 64% 1 h, 28% vs 64% 6 h, 30% vs 72% 12 h and, 80% vs 60% 24 h). This statistical significance was evident throughout the post-operative hours (1 h, 6 h, 12 h). Though local Lidocaine caused marked improvement of pain in bigger number of patients in group A than group B, yet it showed no statistical significance 24 h post-mastectomy. Furthermore, the number of participants that needed additional doses of analgesia lower in group A (48% vs 56%) in comparison to group B, but still showed no statistical significance. Conclusion: Local injection of Lidocaine 2% in Mastectomy wounds, has an upper hand in reducing the post-operative pain and showed a lesser need for post-operative analgesia when compared to local Dexamethasone injection.