Papers of the Week

Opioids have been widely used clinically as the first choice for pain management. Ileostomy closure usually leads to temporary intestinal paralysis, which manifests as abdominal distension and pain, delayed defecation, nausea, and vomiting. Intraoperative and postoperative use of opioids inhibit gastrointestinal function and aggravate intestinal paralysis, and are notoriously addictive. Thus, reducing perioperative opioid use is important for patients undergoing ileostomy closure to restore the continuity and integrity of the intestine. Intravenous lidocaine has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and analgesic effects. We consider minimizing the use of opioids for such patients, and perioperative intravenous injection of lidocaine may be beneficial to the recovery of intestinal function in patients with ileostomy closure.