Relieving postoperative pain using tumescent solution with ropivacaine in follicular unit excision.

BACKGROUND: Local tumescent anesthesia relieves postoperative pain. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to compare the effect of injecting a tumescent solution with/without ropivacaine on postoperative pain. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind control study was conducted in 314 patients who underwent first follicular unit excision after obtaining informed consent and ethics committee approval. The patients were randomly divided into three groups: intra-groups (group 1, injected with tumescent solution with ropivacaine; group 2, without ropivacaine) and inter-group (group 3, right-head/left-head side with/without ropivacaine). Postoperative pain was recorded using the 5-point Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale. No preoperative analgesic was administered to any patient. The survival rate of hair follicles was measured using dermoscopy during follow-up. Data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 314 patients included in the study, 166 were men and 148 were women with a mean age of 32.15 ± 4.58 (range, 25-45) years. Postoperative pain with ropivacaine was significantly more relieved compared with that without ropivacaine in both groups (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between sex and survival rate of hair follicles in the intra- or inter-group. CONCLUSION: A tumescent solution with ropivacaine has proven to relieve postoperative pain and is a safe and valuable form of local anesthesia in follicular unit excision.