Study of Ropivacaine Block to Reduce Post-Operative Pain after Strip Harvesting, and the Relationship of Strip Width to Post-Operative Pain

Abstract

Introduction: The strip method of follicle harvesting (FUT) has great advantages but post-operative pain and the fear of pain are common complaints of this surgery. The severity of post-operative pain is in direct relation to the width of the strip harvested. It is mandatory to reduce post-operative pain to make this method more acceptable for patients.

Objective: Our objective was to determine the effect of strip width and ropivacaine (a long-acting local anaesthetic) infiltration on post-operative pain after strip excision (FUT) surgery.

Method: Grading was performed by the authors for the severity of post-operative pain and post-operative sleep disturbance. In Study I (control), the initial data, pain severity, and sleep disturbance was collected from patients on whom a 2cm-wide strip was excised centrally and 1.5cm-wide strip was excised laterally. In the test group, post-operatively, ropivacaine 0.5% was infiltrated below the suture line after 2cm-wide strip excision. In Study II, the strip was excised 1.5cm centrally and 1cm laterally. Again in the test group, ropivacaine infiltration was performed post-operatively while in the control group no ropivacaine was infiltrated. Data was collected and analysed.

Observation: There was significant pain in patients where the strip width was 2cm centrally as compared to patients where the strip width was 1.5cm centrally. There was significant reduction of pain in those with strip width 1.5cm centrally and infiltration with ropivacaine was done.

Conclusion: The severity of pain is directly proportional to the width of strip harvested. The post-operative infiltration of ropivacaine 0.5% along the suture line significantly reduced post-operative pain.