The pain control infusion pump for postoperative pain control in shoulder surgery.

Abstract

This study was initiated to evaluate the effect of a pain control infusion catheter in managing postoperative pain. In a prospective, randomized trial, 62 consecutive patients undergoing arthroscopic subacromial decompression had an indwelling pain control infusion catheter placed at the operative site. Thirty-one patients received 0.25% bupivacaine and 31 patients received saline infusions, each at a constant rate of 2 mL per hour. Patients evaluated their pain by visual analog scale, and also tabulated the amount of narcotic and nonnarcotic medication used each day in the first week of surgery. There was a statistically significant difference in pain in all parameters tested in the bupivacaine group as compared with the saline control group (P <.05). The bupivacaine pain control infusion pump is an effective means of decreasing postoperative pain.