Local LevoBupivacaine for Pain Relief After Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Esophageal Lesions

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is commonly performed for (pre)cancerous lesions in the esophagus. Following ESD, post-procedural chest pain is seen in many patients. Studies have shown that local bupivacaine (BP) into the residual submucosal layer of the resection wound after gastric ESD could reduce post-procedural pain rates effectively. Levobupivacaine (LB) is equipotent to BP regarding analgesic effects, but has a better safety profile. No studies have been performed to evaluate the efficacy of LB after esophageal ESD to reduce pain. Therefore, we want to evaluate the effect on post-procedural pain of local application of LB during esophageal ESD.