Author(s)

Christian Tshisuz-Nawej¹, Nadine Kibwe², Felly Kazadi³, Berenice Kamba³, Ruffin Nyembo³, Cédric Sangwa⁴, Patient Kayoyo⁵, Eric Kasamba⁶, Sebastien Mbuyi⁴, Claude Mwamba-Mulumba⁷, Berthe Barahyga⁸, Adelin Muganza², Iteke Fefe¹, Willy Arung⁴

¹Anaesthesia-Resuscitation Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, DR Congo.
²Medpark Clinic, Lubumbashi, DR Congo.
³Laboratory Service, Medpark Clinic, Lubumbashi, DR Congo.
⁴Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, DR Congo.
⁵Department of Public Health (Biostatistics), University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, DR Congo.
⁶Biomedical Departement, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, DR Congo.
⁷Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lubumbashi, Lubumbashi, DR Congo.
⁸Anaesthesia-Resuscitation Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, DR Congo.

Background: It appeared that the conjunction inflammation and nerve damage (caused by surgery) generate the hyperalgesic component. But the probability of predicting hyperalgesia from the size of the surgical incision and/or the resulting inflammatory reaction is not well elucidated. This survey aims to study the influence of the size of the surgical incision and the resulting inflammatory reaction (interleukin 6 levels) in the occurrence of postoperative hyperalgesia in the population of Lubumbashi. Methods: The present study was descriptive cross-sectional. The data collection was prospective over 5 months, from February 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024. This study included any patient over the age of 18 who underwent surgery under general anesthesia. We used indirect signs to define hyperalgesia: higher (ENS > 6) and prolonged pain, postoperative overconsumption of morphine. Results: During our survey, we collected 48 operated patients who had severe postoperative pain, 16 of whom had hyperalgesia, i.e. a prevalence of hyperalgesia of 33.33%. The size of the incision most represented was between ≥20 and <30, i.e. 62.50%. The type of surgery most affected by hyperalgesia was laparotomy. We observed an elevation of IL6 in 87.50% of patients. The largest elevation was 8.91 times the preoperative value and the smallest was 1.04 times. Pre- and postoperative IL6 levels were not associated with hyperalgesia (p = 0.265). Only the size of the surgical incision was associated with hyperalgesia (p = 0.04). Incision size values between [20 - 30] cm were those associated with hyperalgesia (p = 0.027). The model shows that making an incision greater than or equal to 20 cm increases the patient’s risk of developing hyperalgesia by more than 7.222 times and this is statistically significant (p = 0.004). Conclusion: According to this survey, the size of the surgical incision was associated with postoperative hyperalgesia and a size of more than 20 cm increases the patient’s risk of developing hyperalgesia by more than 7.222 times.

Postoperative Hyperalgesia, Prevalence, Surgical Incision Size, Interleukin 6

Tshisuz-Nawej, C., Kibwe, N., Kazadi, F., Kamba, B., Nyembo, R., Sangwa, C., Kayoyo, P., Kasamba, E., Mbuyi-Musanzayi, S., Mwamba-Mulumba, C., Barahyga, B., Muganza, A., Fefe, I. and Arung, W. (2024) Influence of Surgical Incision Size and Interleukin 6 in the Occurrence of Postoperative Hyperalgesia in Lubumbashi/DR Congo. Open Journal of Anesthesiology, 14, 232-247. doi: 10.4236/ojanes.2024.1411021.