Intravenous local anesthetic compared with intraperitoneal local anesthetic in laparoscopic colectomy. A double-blind randomized controlled trial.

The same dose of lidocaine was either instilled at operation or given intravenously over three days postoperatively, in this study that included 56 patients. Opioid consumption over the first three days was reduced in the group that had intraperitoneal instillation (p<0.05).

Comment; It seems the peritoneal cavity at the time of surgery is the best target for local anaesthesia.