Tam, K.W., Chen, S.Y., Huang, T.W., Lin, C.C., Su, C.M., Li, C.L., . . . Wu, C.H. (2015). Effect of wound infiltration with ropivacaine or bupivacaine analgesia in breast cancer surgery: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Surgery, 22, 79–85. 

STUDY PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of anesthetic wound infusion for analgesia in women undergoing breast cancer surgery

TYPE OF STUDY: Meta-analysis and systematic review

• FINAL NUMBER STUDIES INCLUDED = 13
• TOTAL PATIENTS INCLUDED IN REVIEW = 1,150
• SAMPLE RANGE ACROSS STUDIES: 30–238 patients
• KEY SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS: All had undergone breast cancer surgery

PHASE OF CARE: Active antitumor treatment

Meta-analysis was done to compare groups for pain severity at 1, 2, 12, and 24 hours. Meta-analysis showed no difference between groups. Analysis did not show any statistically significant difference in analgesic consumption. No adverse events were identified.

Findings did not show significant differences in pain outcomes between those given local anesthetic wound infiltration and those given standard care.

• High heterogeneity
• Low sample sizes

Findings suggest that infusion of ropivacaine or bupivacaine following breast cancer surgery did not provide significant clinical benefit in terms of pain severity or postoperative analgesic needs. Individual studies showed mixed results, and high heterogeneity existed across studies, a limitation of this analysis.