Revelatory findings in pain relief

BREAKTHROUGH research in post-surgery pain relief at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) will help patients recover faster from major abdominal operations.

A new way of injecting local anaesthetic into a particular point in the abdomen decreases pain and improves healing times after surgery.

The technique has been developed by Dr John McDonnell, specialist registrar in anaesthesia at Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan, and Dr Tom Farrell, senior anatomy lecturer at the RCSI.

They found that when local anaesthetic is injected into the patient at the Triangle of Petit — a small area above the side of the pelvis, the entire abdomen becomes insensitive to pain.

Their discovery has great benefits for post-operative recovery, including quicker mobilisation of the patient and less time spent in hospital.

The technique is now undergoing clinical trials, both internationally and in all of the major Dublin teaching hospitals.

Results so far have been very promising for several major abdominal operations such as Caesarean sections, hysterectomies and other procedures using keyhole surgery.

The work has been presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of anaesthesia and at the European Society for Regional Anaesthesia in Monte Carlo where it took first prize.

Dr McDonnell described the technique as a major breakthrough in both pain relief and anaesthesia.

“As well as helping patients recover faster from operations it also cuts down on the need for strong analgesics, such as morphine in a post operative context,” he said.

RCSI’s director of research, Prof Brian Harvey, said the development was just one example of the world-class research being carried out at RCSI.

“Scientists at RCSI work in close collaboration with hospital clinicians to understand the mechanisms of human disease and to develop novel techniques and therapies like this one that will ultimately benefit patients,” Prof Harvey said.