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Postoperative Pain ManagementLAPOFARNCT07307625

LAPOFAR Trial: Opioid-Free vs. Remifentanil Anesthesia in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

A study testing Lidocaine + Dexmedetomidine and Remifentanil in people with Postoperative Pain Management and Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting, run by Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study was a single-center, prospective, randomized clinical trial designed to compare the effects of opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) with standard opioid-based anesthesia during elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 years
What is being tested?
Lidocaine + Dexmedetomidine and Remifentanil
Type of treatment
Injection or infusion
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
101 participants
Where
1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
Study dates
15 Dec 2024to 1 Dec 2025
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age 18-65
  • ASA I-II
  • Elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy
  • Informed consent
  • BMI 18-30 kg/m²
  • Normal liver and renal function

Who cannot join

  • Refusal to participate
  • Allergy to study drugs
  • Chronic opioid use
  • Major organ disease
  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Open surgery conversion
  • Recent participation in another trial

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
  • SBÜ Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital

    Istanbul

Other trials in Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

Official title: A Randomized Comparative Study of Opioid-Free Versus Opioid-Based Anesthesia in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Surgery

This study was a single-center, prospective, randomized clinical trial designed to compare the effects of opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) with standard opioid-based anesthesia during elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The aim was to evaluate the impact of these two anesthetic approaches on postoperative pain, analgesic requirement, hemodynamic stability, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and recovery quality.

A total of 101 patients, aged 18 to 65 years and classified as ASA I-II, undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were enrolled and randomized into two groups. The OFA group received intravenous lidocaine and dexmedetomidine, while the standard anesthesia (RA) group received a remifentanil-based protocol. All other anesthetic agents and surgical procedures were standardized across both groups.

Read more

Intraoperative monitoring included heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and end-tidal CO₂, recorded at 5-minute intervals. Postoperative assessments included visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores at multiple time points (10, 20, 30, 60 minutes; 2, 12, and 24 hours), rescue analgesic use, incidence of PONV, and Modified Aldrete Scores at 0, 30, and 60 minutes.

The results demonstrated that patients in the OFA group experienced significantly lower VAS pain scores in both early and late postoperative periods. The OFA group also required less rescue analgesia, had lower heart rate and blood pressure readings postoperatively, and showed a reduced incidence of PONV. Additionally, recovery parameters such as shorter time to extubation and higher early Aldrete scores favored the OFA group.

These findings suggest that opioid-free anesthesia using lidocaine and dexmedetomidine is a safe and effective alternative to opioid-based anesthesia in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. It provides better postoperative pain control, reduces opioid-related side effects, and improves overall recovery. The study supports the potential for integrating OFA into enhanced recovery protocols and calls for further multicenter trials with larger sample sizes to validate and generalize the results.

Read the detailed description

Postoperative pain remains a major clinical concern, affecting recovery, patient comfort, and hospital resource utilization. Traditionally, opioids have played a central role in intraoperative and postoperative pain management. However, opioid use is associated with several adverse effects such as respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting, sedation, ileus, tolerance, hyperalgesia, and dependency. These drawbacks have driven interest in alternative strategies that reduce or eliminate perioperative opioid exposure, particularly within the framework of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols.

Opioid-Free Anesthesia (OFA) is a multimodal approach that omits opioids and instead utilizes a combination of non-opioid agents such as lidocaine, dexmedetomidine, ketamine, NSAIDs, and magnesium sulfate to provide analgesia, hemodynamic stability, and sedation. OFA aims to minimize opioid-related side effects while maintaining effective pain control and facilitating faster recovery.

This single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial was designed to compare OFA using intravenous lidocaine and dexmedetomidine to standard general anesthesia with remifentanil in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The primary aim was to assess the effect of OFA on postoperative pain scores and rescue analgesia requirement. Secondary outcomes included intraoperative hemodynamic parameters, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and recovery quality assessed via Modified Aldrete Scores.

A total of 101 adult patients, aged 18-65 years, classified as ASA I-II, were enrolled and randomized into two groups:

OFA Group: Received intravenous lidocaine (1.5 mg/kg bolus followed by infusion at 1.5 mg/kg/h) and dexmedetomidine (0.5 μg/kg loading dose followed by 0.5 μg/kg/h infusion).

RA Group (Remifentanil Group): Received standard anesthesia with remifentanil infusion (0.1-0.5 μg/kg/min), in combination with propofol and rocuronium.

Standard monitoring included non-invasive blood pressure, ECG, SpO₂, EtCO₂, and bispectral index (BIS). Intraoperative hemodynamic values (heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, EtCO₂) were recorded at 5-minute intervals. Postoperative pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at 10, 20, 30, and 60 minutes, and at 2, 12, and 24 hours. PONV incidence and the need for rescue antiemetics were also recorded. Recovery was evaluated using Modified Aldrete Scores at 0, 30, and 60 minutes post-extubation.

Statistical analysis was performed using R (v4.5.1). Normality was assessed via the Shapiro-Wilk test. Between-group comparisons used the independent t-test or Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables and chi-square or Fisher's exact test for categorical data. Within-group comparisons of pre- and postoperative values used paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests as appropriate.

The study found that the OFA group had significantly lower postoperative VAS scores at all time points, reduced need for rescue analgesics, and lower incidence of PONV. Hemodynamic parameters such as heart rate and blood pressure were more stable intra- and postoperatively in the OFA group. Moreover, time to extubation was shorter and early recovery scores were higher among patients who received OFA.

These findings suggest that opioid-free anesthesia with lidocaine and dexmedetomidine provides superior outcomes in terms of postoperative pain control, recovery, and complication rates compared to opioid-based anesthesia with remifentanil. The results support the inclusion of OFA in clinical practice and ERAS protocols for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Further multicenter studies with larger sample sizes and inclusion of different surgical procedures are warranted to generalize these findings.

Being tested
Lidocaine + Dexmedetomidine, Remifentanil
Keywords
Dexmedetomidine, Lidocaine, Opioid-Free Anesthesia, Analgesic Requirement, Postoperative Pain
Medical subject headings
Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting, Pain, Postoperative

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Lidocaine + DexmedetomidineDrug

    Participants received intravenous lidocaine and dexmedetomidine as part of the opioid-free anesthesia protocol. Lidocaine was administered as a 1.5 mg/kg bolus followed by continuous infusion at 1.5 mg/kg/h. Dexmedetomidine was administered as a 0.5 µg/kg loading dose over 10 minutes, followed by continuous infusion at 0.5 µg/kg/h until the end of surgery. No intraoperative opioids were given.

  • RemifentanilDrug

    Participants received standard opioid-based anesthesia with continuous intravenous remifentanil infusion at 0.1-0.5 µg/kg/min. Induction and maintenance of anesthesia were standardized with propofol and rocuronium. All other perioperative conditions were matched to the OFA group.

Study groups in NCT07307625
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Opioid-Free Anesthesia (OFA)ExperimentalParticipants in this group received intravenous lidocaine and dexmedetomidine for opioid-free anesthesia. Lidocaine was administered as a 1.5 mg/kg bolus followed by a continuous infusion of 1.5 mg/kg/h. Dexmedetomidine was administered as a 0.5 µg/kg loading dose over 10 minutes, followed by an infusion of 0.5 µg/kg/h. No opioids were used intraoperatively. Standard induction with propofol and muscle relaxation with rocuronium were applied.
Receives: Drug: Lidocaine + Dexmedetomidine
Opioid-Based Anesthesia (RA)Active comparatorParticipants in this group received standard general anesthesia with remifentanil infusion at 0.1-0.5 µg/kg/min. Anesthesia induction was performed using propofol and rocuronium. All other surgical and anesthetic parameters were standardized to match those of the OFA group.
Receives: Drug: Remifentanil

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Postoperative Pain Score (VAS)

    VAS at multiple time points post-surgery

    Measured: 0-24 hrs

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Rescue Analgesic Use

    Total mg of analgesics

    Measured: 0-24 hrs

  2. PONV Incidence

    Presence of nausea/vomiting

    Measured: 0-24 hrs

  3. Hemodynamic Monitoring

    HR, SBP, DBP every 5 min

    Measured: Intraoperative

  4. Recovery Score (Aldrete)

    Modified Aldrete score

    Measured: 0, 30, 60 min post-extubation

  5. Extubation Time

    Minutes to extubation

    Measured: Immediately after surgery

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted29 Dec 2025
  2. Study start15 Dec 2024
  3. Primary completion1 Sep 2025
  4. Study completion1 Dec 2025

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Participants were randomly assigned to one of two parallel intervention groups. One group received opioid-free anesthesia (lidocaine and dexmedetomidine infusion), while the other received standard opioid-based anesthesia (remifentanil). Each participant remained in their assigned group throughout the procedure and follow-up period. The study used a 1:1 allocation ratio and compared outcomes such as postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting, and recovery parameters.
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
101 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07307625
Sponsor's protocol ID
DrLutfiKirdarTRH-ANES-GT-01
Other IDs
2024/010.99/10/31
Acronym
LAPOFAR
Status last verified
Dec 2025
First submitted
15 Dec 2025
Last updated
29 Dec 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: The individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared publicly due to local data privacy regulations and institutional policy. Aggregate results will be available in published form.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Lidocaine + Dexmedetomidine and Remifentanil in people with Postoperative Pain Management and Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting, run by Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Dec 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Postoperative Pain Score (VAS) (time frame: 0-24 hrs). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Dec 2025.

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