Effect of Intravenous Lidocaine on Serum Interleukin-17 After Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Effects and mechanisms of perioperative medications on the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal response to surgical injury: A narrative review

The adrenal gland is a vital endocrine organ, and adrenal steroid synthesis and secretion are closely regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in response to various stimuli. Surgery or trauma can activate the HPA axis and induce the secretion of cortisol. Different cortisol responses vary with the grade of surgery. Perioperative medications have the potential to decrease the cortisol level in the body, and both excessive and insufficient cortisol levels after surgery are disadvantageous. The effect of perioperative medications on the HPA response to surgery can be divided into three levels: "adrenal insufficiency (AI)", "stress response inhibition", and "uncertainty". The clinical presentation of AI includes fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, muscle cramps, hypotension, hypovolemic shock and prerenal failure, which may result in fatal consequences. Stress response inhibition can reduce postoperative complications, such as pain and cognitive dysfunction. This is protective to patients during perioperative and postoperative periods. The aim of the present review is to shed light on current evidence regarding the exact effects and mechanisms of perioperative medications on the HPA response to surgical injury and provide the applicable guidance on clinical anesthesia.

Anesthesia and cancer recurrence: a narrative review

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. With the increasingly aging population, the number of emerging cancer cases is expected to increase markedly in the foreseeable future. Surgical resection with adjuvant therapy is the best available option for the potential cure of many solid tumors; thus, approximately 80% of patients with cancer undergo at least one surgical procedure during their disease. Agents used in general anesthesia can modulate cytokine release, transcription factors, and/or oncogenes. This can affect host immunity and the capability of cancer cells to survive and migrate, not only during surgery but for up to several weeks after surgery. However, it remains unknown whether exposure to anesthetic agents affects cancer recurrence or metastasis. This review explores the current literature to explain whether and how the choice of anesthetic and perioperative medication affect cancer surgery outcomes.

Opioid-free anaesthesia reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting after thoracoscopic lung resection: a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Intraoperative opioid use has a positive relationship with postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and opioid-free anaesthesia (OFA) might reduce PONV. We investigated whether OFA compared with opioid-based anaesthesia would reduce PONV during the first 2 postoperative days among patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection.

METHODS

In this randomised controlled trial, 120 adult patients were randomly assigned (1:1, stratified by sex) to receive either OFA with esketamine, dexmedetomidine, and sevoflurane, or opioid-based anaesthesia with sufentanil and sevoflurane. A surgical pleth index (SPI) of 20-50 was applied for intraoperative analgesia provision. All subjects received PONV prophylaxis (dexamethasone and ondansetron) and multimodal analgesia (flurbiprofen axetil, ropivacaine wound infiltration, and patient-controlled sufentanil). The primary outcome was the occurrence of PONV during the first 48 h after surgery.

RESULTS

The median age was 53 yr and 66.7% were female. Compared with opioid-based anaesthesia, OFA significantly reduced the incidence of PONV (15% vs 31.7%; odds ratio [OR]=0.38, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.16-0.91; number needed to treat, 6; P=0.031). Secondary and safety outcomes were comparable between groups, except that OFA led to a lower rate of vomiting (OR=0.23, 95% CI, 0.08-0.77) and a longer length of PACU stay (median difference=15.5 min, 95% CI, 10-20 min). The effects of OFA on PONV did not differ in the prespecified subgroups of sex, smoking status, and PONV risk scores.

CONCLUSIONS

In the context of PONV prophylaxis and multimodal analgesia, SPI-guided opioid-free anaesthesia halved the incidence of PONV after thoracoscopic lung resection, although it was associated with a longer stay in the PACU.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200059710).

Tumour excisional surgery, anaesthetic-analgesic techniques, and oncologic outcomes: a narrative review

Cancer is a growing global burden; there were an estimated 18 million new cancer diagnoses worldwide in 2020. Excisional surgery remains one of the main treatments for solid organ tumours in cancer patients and is potentially curative. Cancer- and surgery-induced inflammatory processes can facilitate residual tumour cell survival, growth, and subsequent recurrence. However, it has been hypothesised that anaesthetic and analgesic techniques during surgery might influence the risk of cancer recurrence. This narrative review aims to provide an updated summary of recent observational studies and new randomised controlled clinical trials on whether certain specific anaesthetic and analgesic techniques or perioperative interventions during tumour resection surgery of curative intent materially affect long-term oncologic outcomes.

Comparison of the Effects of Dexmedetomidine and Lidocaine on Stress Response and Postoperative Delirium of Older Patients Undergoing Thoracoscopic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose

We investigated the effects of intraoperative intravenous lidocaine or dexmedetomidine infusion on inflammatory factors and cognitive function in patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery.

Patients and Methods

Patients aged >65 years undergoing elective thoracoscopic lobectomy or segmentectomy were randomly grouped as dexmedetomidine group (group D), lidocaine group (group L), and control group (group C). The plasma cortisol, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations were measured before anesthesia (T0) and immediately (T1), 24 h (T2), and 48 h postoperatively (T3). Postoperative delirium (POD) was assessed by 3D-CAM on days 2 and 7.

Results

The cortisol concentrations decreased for all groups at T1 from T0 although they were significantly higher at T2. Group L had significantly lower interleukin-6 concentrations at T1 and T2 than the other groups (P<0.05). The interleukin-6 concentrations were significantly higher at T1, T2, and T3 than at T0 for all the groups, significantly lower for groups D and L than for group C at T1 and T2 (P<0.05), and significantly lower for group L than for group D at T2 (P<0.05). The tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations were significantly higher at T1, T2, and T3 than at T0 for all the groups and significantly lower for groups D and L than for group C at T1 and T2 (P<0.05), although they were not statistically significantly different for groups D and L. There were no statistically significant differences in the postoperative incidence of POD between the three groups on days 2 and day 7.

Conclusion

Intraoperative continuous intravenous lidocaine or dexmedetomidine infusion reduced surgical stress and inflammatory responses. The inhibitory effect of lidocaine on surgical stress remained significant for up to 24 h postoperatively without affecting patient awakening. However, the administration of either drug failed to prevent postoperative POD.

Systemic Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Intravenous Lidocaine in Surgical Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

There has recently been increasing evidence that the use of perioperative intravenous lidocaine infusion possesses analgesic, opioid-sparing and anti-inflammatory effects in surgical patients. Although opioid-sparing and analgesic properties have been strongly supported, the anti-inflammatory features are not well established in elective surgery. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to examine the effect of perioperative intravenous lidocaine infusion on postoperative anti-inflammatory status in patients undergoing elective surgery. A search strategy was created to identify suitable randomised clinical trials (RCTs) in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Clinicaltrials.gov databases until January 2023. RCTs that evaluated the effect of intravenous lidocaine infusion, compared with placebo, on adult patients who underwent elective surgery, in inflammatory markers response were included. Exclusion criteria consisted of paediatric patients, animal studies, non-RCT methodology, intervention without intravenous lidocaine, inadequate control group, duplicated samples, ongoing studies and lack of any relevant clinical outcome measures. The following inflammatory markers-interleukin (IL)-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-1RA, IL-8, IL-10, C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-1, IL-1β, interferon (IFN)-γ, cortisol, IL-4, IL-17, high-mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-were evaluated as outcomes in this review. A total of 21 studies, including 1254 patients, were identified. Intravenous lidocaine infusion significantly reduced the change from IL-6 baseline levels at the end of surgery compared to a placebo (standardised mean difference [SMD]: -0.647, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.034 to -0.260). Usage of lidocaine was associated with a significant reduction in other postoperative pro-inflammatory markers, such as TNF-α, IL-1RA, IL-8, IL-17, HMGB-1 and CRP. There was no significant difference in other markers, such as IL-10, IL-1β, IL-1, IFN-γ, IL-4, TGF-β and cortisol. This systematic review and meta-analysis provide support for the administration of perioperative intravenous lidocaine infusion as an anti-inflammatory strategy in elective surgery.

Perioperative lidocaine and dexmedetomidine intravenous infusion reduce the serum levels of NETs and biomarkers of tumor metastasis in lung cancer patients: A prospective, single-center, double-blinded, randomized clinical trial

Background

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) can enhance the metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). As biomarkers of tumor metastasis, metalloproteinases (MMPs) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) together with NETs are essential to endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We hypothesized that intravenous infusion of lidocaine and dexmedetomidine could reduce the production of NETs and biomarkers of tumor metastasis after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) in NSCLC patients.

Method

The trial included 132 NSCLC patients undergoing VATS. The patients were equally randomized to a placebo group (Group C), a lidocaine group (Group L, intravenous lidocaine 8 mg/kg/h for 15 minutes before anesthesia, 2 mg/kg/h during surgery, and 1 mg/kg/h until 24 hours after surgery), a dexmedetomidine group (Group D, intravenous dexmedetomidine 2 μg/kg/h for 15 minutes before anesthesia, 0.5 μg/kg/h during surgery, and 0.25 μg/kg/h until 24 hours after surgery), and a dexmedetomidine plus lidocaine group (Group LD, combination use of lidocaine and dexmedetomidine). The primary outcome was the production of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and citrullinated histone-3 (H3Cit), biomarkers of NETs, on postoperative day (POD) 1. MMP-3, MMP-9, and VEGF-α, as biomarkers of tumor metastasis, were also evaluated on POD 1.

Results

The baseline patient characteristics and perioperative data did not differ between the study groups. MPO was significantly decreased in Groups L, D, and LD (-197.08 ± 34.01, -137.37 ± 32.41, and -189.45 ± 33.73 U/ml, P<0.001, respectively) compared with Group C (-106.51 ± 25.44 U/ml). H3Cit was also lessened in Groups L, D, and LD (-49.51 ± 9.11, -34.80 ± 10.37, and -51.82 ± 8.98 ng/ml, P<0.001, respectively) compared with Group C (-24.73 ± 7.65 ng/ml). Lidocaine and dexmedetomidine also reduced MMP-3 (-69.08 ± 13.22, -52.84 ± 13.78, -85.34 ± 12.59 vs. -40.55 ± 10.71 ng/ml in Group L, D, LD vs. Group C, P<0.001, respectively), MMP-9 (-8.46 ± 1.68, -6.07 ± 1.82, -9.67 ± 1.43 vs. -4.28 ± 1.29 ng/ml in Group L, D, LD vs. Group C, P<0.001, respectively), and VEGF-α (-95.55 ± 22.53, -71.65 ± 18.77, -104.89 ± 15.49 vs. -51.73 ± 16.27 pg/ml in Group L, D, LD vs. Group C, P<0.001, respectively) on POD 1.

Conclusion

In NSCLC patients, continuous perioperative intravenous infusion of lidocaine and dexmedetomidine significantly reduced the production of NETs and tumor metastasis biomarkers on POD 1. Meanwhile, it also decreased inflammation, protected cellular immune function, reduced pain and opioid consumption, and improved the quality of postoperative recovery.

Clinical trial registration

chictr.org.cn, identifier: 187049.

Effect of balanced opioid-free anaesthesia on postoperative nausea and vomiting after video-assisted thoracoscopic lung resection: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Opioid-free anaesthesia (OFA) may reduce opioid-related side effects such as postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and hyperalgesia. This study aims to investigate the effects of balanced OFA on PONV and pain outcomes in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This randomised controlled trial will be conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in Suzhou, China. A total of 120 adults scheduled for VATS lung resection will be randomly assigned with a 1:1 ratio to either an OFA group or a control group, stratified by sex (n=60 in each group). Patients will receive balanced anaesthesia with esketamine, dexmedetomidine and sevoflurane (the OFA group), or sufentanil and sevoflurane (the control group). All patients will receive PONV prophylaxis with intraoperative dexamethasone and ondansetron. Multimodal analgesia consists of intraoperative flurbiprofen axetil, ropivacaine infiltration at the end of surgery and postoperative patient-controlled sufentanil. The primary outcome is the incidence of PONV within 48 hours after surgery. Secondary outcomes are nausea, vomiting, need for antiemetic therapy, pain scores at rest and while coughing, postoperative sufentanil consumption, need for rescue analgesia, length of post-anaesthesia care unit stay, length of postoperative hospital stay, and 30-day and 90-day post-surgical pain and mortality. Safety outcomes are hypotension, bradycardia, hypertension, tachycardia, interventions for haemodynamic events, level of sedation, headache, dizziness, nightmare and hallucination. All analyses will be performed in the modified intention-to-treat population.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University (2022-042). All patients will provide written informed consent. The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200059710).

Analysis of the Effect of Quality Nursing on Recovery after Thoracic Surgery

Objective

To observe the feasibility and safety of rapid rehabilitation nursing in the perioperative period of thoracoscopic treatment of lung cancer patients. Rapid rehabilitation nursing was compared with conventional perioperative nursing to explore its clinical efficacy, i.e., its advantages in improving postoperative comfort, postoperative rehabilitation efficiency, and hospitalization cost of patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung cancer resection.

Methods

We carried out a retrospective analysis of 337 lung cancer patients who underwent lobectomy in our thoracic surgery department from July 2019 to June 2021, of which 168 lung cancer patients whose perioperative care method was traditional rehabilitation care were classified as A and 169 lung cancer patients who started to implement the intelligent medical intervention method in the department in September were classified as intelligent medical B. By reviewing patient cases and departmental statistics, general information, length of stay, hospitalization cost, complication rate, pain score, bowel movement recovery time, and pulmonary function index of the two groups A and B were compared. Nursing satisfaction was investigated by using a questionnaire. All the data in the study were processed and analyzed using SPSS 17.0 software.

Results

There were no differences in preoperative general data, pathological findings, preoperative underlying diseases, lesion involvement sites, and postoperative TNM stages (P > 0.05), which were comparable; the incidence of postoperative pulmonary infection and atelectasis complications, postoperative hospitalization time, and hospitalization cost were lower in group B than in group A; the postoperative chest tube drain placement time was shorter in group B than in group A, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative pain and discomfort in group B was lower than that in group A, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05); the incidence of postoperative chest pain, bleeding, pneumothorax, pulmonary infection, and atelectasis in group B was lower than that in group A, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Intelligent medical rehabilitation nursing has good application value in thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery. Applying the concept of intelligent medical rehabilitation nursing provides an important experimental basis and theoretical basis for improving the postoperative survival quality and clinical symptoms of patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung cancer resection, which helps to promote the postoperative recovery of patients with thoracoscopic lung cancer, improves the recovery efficiency of patients and their overall quality of life, and is superior to the conventional nursing group.

Dose-response relationship between epidural bupivacaine dose and mortality risk after surgical resection of nonsmall-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Preclinical studies have shown that local anesthetics may modify the growth and invasion of cancer cells. However, few clinical studies have evaluated their impact on cancer outcomes after tumor resection.

METHODS

In this single-center cohort study, patients who underwent surgical resection of stage IA through IIIB nonsmall-cell lung cancer and used patient-controlled epidural analgesia from 2005 to 2015 were recruited and followed until May 2017. Data of the epidural bupivacaine dose for each patient were obtained from infusion pump machines. Proportional hazards regression models were used to analyze the associations between bupivacaine dose with postoperative cancer recurrence and all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 464 patients were analyzed. Among these patients, the mean bupivacaine dose was 352 mg (± standard deviation 74 mg). After adjusting for important clinical and pathological covariates, a significant dose-response relationship was observed between epidural bupivacaine dose and all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.008, 95% confidence interval: 1.001-1.016, p = 0.029). The association between bupivacaine dose and cancer recurrence were not significant (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.000, 95% confidence interval: 0.997-1.002, p = 0.771). Age, sex, body mass index, mean daily maximum pain score, and pathological perineural infiltration were independently associated with bupivacaine dose.

CONCLUSION

A dose-dependent association was found between epidural bupivacaine dose and long-term mortality among patients following surgical resection of nonsmall-cell lung cancer. Our findings do not support the hypothetical anticancer benefits of local anesthetics. More studies are needed to elucidate the role of local anesthetics in cancer treatment.

Perioperative Inflammatory Response and Cancer Recurrence in Lung Cancer Surgery: A Narrative Review

While surgical resection is the gold standard treatment for solid tumors, cancer recurrence after surgery is common. Immunosurveillance of remnant tumor cells is an important protective mechanism. Therefore, maintenance of anti-tumor cell activity and proper levels of inflammatory mediators is crucial. An increasing body of evidence suggests that surgery itself and perioperative interventions could affect these pathophysiological responses. Various factors, such as the extent of tissue injury, perioperative medications such as anesthetics and analgesics, and perioperative management including transfusions and methods of mechanical ventilation, modulate the inflammatory response in lung cancer surgery. This narrative review summarizes the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in cancer recurrence after surgery and perioperative management related to cancer recurrence after lung cancer surgery.

Effect of intravenous lidocaine infusion on perioperative cellular immunity and the quality of postoperative recovery in breast cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer has become the most common malignancy worldwide. Experimental and, retrospective, clinical data indicate that anaesthetic technique might influence the risk of metastasis after cancer surgery by modulating the immune system. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of perioperative lidocaine injection on immune cells such as T lymphocytes and natural killer cells (NK cells) and the quality of postoperative recovery in breast cancer patients and to propose new ideas and relevant theoretical evidence for the selection of anesthetic protocols for perioperative tumor patients.

METHODS

Women (n=68) undergoing primary breast tumour resection were randomly assigned to received 2% lidocaine (n=34; group L) or placebo (normal saline; n=34; group S). Venous blood was collected thirty minutes before surgery (T0), after tumor removal (T1), immediately after surgery (T2), 24 h after surgery (T3), and 48 h after surgery (T4). The percentages of NK cells and T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+) in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry. Patients' quality of recovery-15 (QoR-15) scores were recorded by questionnaire before and 24 h after the operation, as well as intraoperative propofol and remifentanil dosages, the frequency of 24 h postoperative remedial analgesia, and the incidence of nausea and vomiting, dizziness, and chest tightness.

RESULTS

There were 62 patients included in the study, and 60 patients were finally analyzed. The difference in the changing trend of NK cell levels in the 2 groups over time was statistically significant (F=7.675, P=0.008). The intraoperative changing trends of CD3+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio over time differed significantly between the 2 groups of patients (P<0.05), whereas the trends of CD8+ T cells did not differ significantly (P>0.05). The QoR-15 score at 24 h after surgery was higher in Group L (128.50±20.25) than in Group S (117.50±19.50), and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.005). No adverse events such as cardiac arrhythmia and lidocaine toxicity occurred in both groups during the perioperative period.

CONCLUSIONS

Continuous intravenous pumping of lidocaine during the perioperative period has little effect on immune function in breast cancer patients and promotes postoperative recovery.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2100050445.

Anesthesia and Cancer, Friend or Foe? A Narrative Review

Cancer remains the leading cause of death worldwide with close to 10 million deaths reported annually. Due to growth of the advanced age cohort in our population, it is predicted that the number of new cancer cases diagnosed between now until 2035 is to reach potentially 24 million individuals, a staggering increase in a relatively short time period. For many solid tumors, surgical resection along with chemotherapy is the best available approach to a potential cure which leads to almost 80% of cancer patients undergoing at least one surgical procedure during the course of their disease. During surgical intervention, the exposure to general anesthesia can be lengthy, complex and often involves various modalities resulting in an important question as to the role, if any, anesthesia may play in primary recurrence or metastatic conversion. Many components of the stress and inflammatory responses exhibited in the perioperative period can contribute to cancer growth and invasion. The agents used to induce and maintain general anesthesia have variable interactions with the immune and neuroendocrine systems and can influence the stress response during surgery. Thus, debating the best type of anesthesia that would help to attenuate sympathetic and/or pro-inflammatory responses while modulating cytokine release and transcription factors/oncogenes remains at the forefront. This may affect inducible cancer cell survival and migratory abilities not only intra-operatively, but also during the immediate post-operative phase of recovery. The ultimate question becomes how and whether the choice of anesthesia may influence the outcomes of cancer surgery with two major approaches being considered, i.e., regional and general anesthesia as well as the various hypnotics, analgesics and sympatholytics commonly used. In this review, we will address the latest information as to the role that anesthesia may play during cancer surgery with specific focus on primary recurrence and metastasis.

Deep Neuromuscular Blockade Combined with Low Pneumoperitoneum Pressure for Nociceptive Recovery After Major Laparoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose

Patients undergoing major laparoscopic surgery often experience significant pain and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Deep neuromuscular block (NMB) improves surgical conditions and facilitates the application of low intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), which may be beneficial for these patients. This study is designed to determine the effects of deep NMB combined with low IAP, as compared to moderate NMB combined with standard IAP, on patients' nociceptive recovery after major laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery.

Study Design and Methods

This single-center randomized controlled trial will include 220 patients scheduled for major laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery (lasts for ≥ 90 minutes). Patients will be randomly assigned, with a 1:1 ratio, into a deep NMB + low IAP group (train of four = 0, post-tetanic count = 1-3, IAP = 8 mmHg) and a moderate NMB + standard IAP group (train of four = 1-3, IAP = 12 mmHg). If the surgical workspace is inadequate, the surgeons can request a step increase of 1 mmHg in IAP during 3-min intervals. The upper limit of IAP will be set at 15 mmHg. Postoperative recovery will be assessed using the postoperative quality recovery scale (PQRS). The primary outcome of this trial is the PQRS nociceptive recovery (including pain and PONV) at postoperative day (POD) 1. The secondary outcomes include recovery in other PQRS domains at POD 1, and recovery in all PQRS domains in a post-anesthesia care unit, at POD 3 in the surgical wards, at hospital discharge, and at postoperative 30 days. For the sample size estimation, 110 patients in each group (220 in total) would be needed to detect an absolute increase rate of 20% in the PQRS nociceptive domain in the deep NMB + low IAP group at POD 1.

Discussion

This study investigates the effects of deep NMB combined with low IAP on postoperative PQRS nociceptive recovery in patients undergoing major laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery. We expect that this deep NMB + low IAP strategy would improve postoperative pain and PONV following major laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery.