Preemptive wound infiltration in lumbar laminectomy for postoperative pain: comparison of bupivacaine and levobupivacaine.

Aim: Patients usually suffer significant pain after lumbar laminectomy. Wound infiltration with local anesthetics is a useful method for postoperative pain control. Our aim was to compare the efficacies of preemptive wound infiltration with bupivacaine and levobupivacaine.
Material and Methods: 60 patients were randomized three groups as follows: Group L wound infiltration with 20 mL 0.25% levobupivacaine and 40 mg methylprednisolone just before wound closure; Group B wound infiltration with 20 mL 0.25% bupivacaine and 40 mg methylprednisolone before closure; Group C had this region infiltrated with 20 ml physiological saline. Demographic data, vital signs, postoperative pain scores and morphine usage were recorded.
Results: First analgesic requirement time was significantly shorter in the control group compared to other two groups (p < 0.001). Group B had the lowest cumulative morphine consumption at the end of 24 hours within 0-4, 4-12 and 12-24 hours time intervals and the values were not significant when compared with Group L, however the consumption of both groups was significantly lower compared to the control group (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Our data suggest that preoperative infiltration of the wound site with bupivacaine or levobupivacaine provides similarly effective pain control with reduced opiate dose after unilateral lumbar laminectomy.