Does a continuous infusion of bupivacaine 0.5% improve pain management and reduce hospital stay in patients after median sternotomy?
Continuous infusion of bupivacaine 0.5% after median sternotomy improves pain management, reduces opioid use, and shortens hospital stay.
A continuous infusion of bupivacaine 0.5% at 4 ml/h is effective for decreasing pain and the need for opioid analgesic medication as well as for improving patient satisfaction with their pain management after cardiac surgery. Patients in the bupivacaine-0.5% group were able to ambulate earlier, leading to a reduced length of hospital stay.
White et al. (2003) studied this question.