The concept of preemptive analgesia has been suggested recently as another technique in the treatment of postoperative pain. This study was undertaken to determine whether preoperative blockade of nociceptive input with operative bupivacaine would exert a preemptive effect on postoperative analgesia.

40 patients undergoing hysterectomy with general anesthesia were allocated randomly to receive either 0.25% bupivacaine 40ml infiltrated into the proposed wound line 10min before incision or no infiltration. Patient-controlled analgesia fentanyl and ketorolac were administered to both groups during first 48 postoperative hours.

Pain scores and cumulative fentanyl and ketorolac consumption dosage at 12, 24, 36, 48 hours after surgery was similar in both groups.

We concluded that preincisional infiltration with bupivacaine had no advantage in reducing postoperative analgesic requirements or pain scores after hysterectomy.