Case for local infiltration analgesia: Is all the evidence in black and white?

Post-operative pain has the potential for significant adverse effects on the physiology and can also drown the patient into psychological suffering. The source and degree of nociceptive stimulation differ among individuals and surgeries and hence multimodal analgesic approaches have been encouraged for pain relief. With local infiltration or infiltration in the pain sensitive planes, afferent impulses from the site of incision and injury are reduced. This reduces the sensitisation and consequent hyperalgesia. The risks associated with parenteral administration of analgesics, risks associated with central neuraxial block and the injury and injection to surrounding structures in nerve and plexus blocks are avoided. As part of multimodal technique, there can be a reduction in requirements of opioids. Simplicity and safety are the hallmarks of the technique.