Intravenous Lidocaine for Post-Tonsillectomy Pain in Pediatric Patients

The purpose of this study is to determine whether giving lidocaine intravenously during and
after a tonsillectomy surgery is effective in decreasing postoperative pain when compared to
placebo.

Participants will be in one of two arms. Those in Arm 1 will receive a lidocaine bolus and
infusion throughout the initial recovery period while those in Arm 2 will receive an equal
volume of normal saline. Subjects will be monitored and assessed for pain during their time
in the hospital and followed up on at home for a week after the surgery. Primary outcomes
will be measure of pain. Secondary outcome measures will include pain medication use,
emergence delirium, incidence of laryngospasm, and side effects.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Scheduled for Tonsillectomy (with or without Adenoidectomy) with Dr. Kathleen Billings
or Dr. Stephen Hoff at Lurie Children's Hospital

- American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) patient classification I-III (Healthy patient
to a patient with mild systemic disease)

Exclusion Criteria:

- Physical or developmental delays

- Psychiatric illness

- Current use of sedative or anticonvulsant medications

- Pre-existing renal disease (ranging from stage 2 [mild] to stage 5 [end stage])

- Pre-existing cardiovascular disease (including, not limited to congenital heart
disease or arrythmia)

- Pre-existing liver disease

- Pre-existing cerebral or neuromuscular disease

- Patient or family history of Malignant Hyperthermia

- Recent history of upper respiratory infection within last 7 days

- Regular use of analgesic medication

- Diagnosis of severe obstructive sleep apnea requiring overnight stay for observation

- Other procedure scheduled in addition to tonsillectomy

- History of allergies to local anesthetics