Wound infiltration for operative and postoperative analgesia

Wound infiltration with local anaesthetics is safe and cost-effective and may be the method of choice for surgical or postoperative analgesia, or both, for various minor to moderate sized operative procedures. After major surgery, local anaesthesia by wound infiltration has only a minor and short-lasting effect on postoperative pain. More studies are needed to evaluate optimal methods for infiltration, to assess the efficacy of continuous wound perfusion with local anaesthetics and to investigate combinations of wound infiltration with local anaesthetics and other pharmacological agents or analgesic methods. A major advantage would be the development of new local anaesthetics with an extended duration of action.