The influence of scalp infiltration with bupivacaine on hemodynamics and postoperative pain in adult patients undergoing craniotomy

After craniotomy, hypertension may contribute to intracerebral hemorrhage. We studied whether scalp infiltration with bupivacaine during craniotomy reduces postoperative pain and hypertension. Ln a double-blind fashion, 36 adult patients (ASA physical status Il or III) undergoing elective craniotomy were randomly assigned to receive scalp infiltration with either bupivacaine (0.25%) and epinephrine (1:200,000) or saline/ epinephrine (1:200,000) for skeletal fixation, skin incision, and wound closure. Heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured after anesthesia induction, aft er skull-pin insertion, after scalp infiltration, during dural closure, during skin closure, on admission to postanesthesia care unit (PACU), and 1 h after admission. Visual analog pain scores were recorded in the PACU. MAP was significantly greater in the saline group at scalp infiltration. HR was significantly faster in the saline group at dural and skin closure. The bupivacaine group reported significantly less pain than the saline group at PACU admission and 1 h after admission. Pain scores did not correlate with hemodynamic measurements. We conclude that scalp infiltration with 0.25% bupivacaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine blunts certain intraoperative hemodynamic responses and reduces postoperative pain but has no effect on postoperative hemodynamics. Implications: We sought to evaluate whether scalp infiltration with bupivacaine and epinephrine at the beginning and end of craniotomy would afford more intra- and postoperative hemodynamic stability and influence immediate postoperative pain. We found that intraoperative hemodynamics were not influenced greatly; however, craniotomy patients do have significant postoperative pain, which does not seem to have an influence on hemodynamics in the postanesthesia care unit.