Effect of Perioperative Systemic Lignocaine on Postoperative Pain in Patients Undergoing Elective Open Abdominal Surgeries- a Double Blinded Randomized Control Trial

Patients will be randomized into two groups- A and B, to receive an intravenous infusion of lignocaine or saline,respectively, as a bolus of 1.5mg/kg at the time of intubation followed by an infusion at a rate of 1.5mg/kg/hr continued throughout the surgery and till one hour postop. Postoperative analgesia will be provided through Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) pump providing morphine. Postoperative pain scores will be noted at immediate postoperative and at 6, 18, 24 hours post surgery. The number of PCA demands and cumulative morphine consumption till 24 hours post surgery will be noted. The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting is recorded. The time to first passage of flatus and stools postoperatively will be noted. Levels of total leukocyte count, c-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6(IL-6) will be noted in preoperative, immediate post operative and 24 hours post surgery.