Post-thyroidectomy pain relief is enhanced by wound infiltration. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

INTRODUCTION: Thyroidectomy is a common surgical procedure. Traditional options for pain management, such as analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), are limited by their side effects. Surgical wound infiltration with local anesthetics has the potential to reduce the need for analgesics in a number of surgical procedures. This systematic review and meta-analysis wanted to resolve these concerns and assess the efficacy of WI in the management of postoperative pain after thyroidectomy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The review adhered to Cochrane Collaboration and PRISMA standards. RCTs comparing WI with no infiltration or placebo were included. Patients with benign or malignant thyroid disease who underwent open thyroidectomy were eligible. Postoperative pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) as the primary outcome. Time to first rescue dose, the need for analgesic rescue in the first 24 h, and total opioid analgesic consumption were secondary outcomes. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and odds ratio (OR) were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS: 16 randomized controlled trials involving 1202 patients were included. At 6 and 8 h postoperatively, WI exhibited a statistically significant impact on pain management. In the WI group, the need for analgesic rescue was significantly reduced. At 4 h postoperatively, non-anesthetic medications demonstrated a significant analgesic effect.

CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review and meta-analysis support the use of WI with local anesthetics for postoperative pain management after thyroidectomy. These findings have significant implications for improving perioperative care, especially in ambulatory settings where effective pain management is essential.