Pain management post-surgery is critical for effective recovery, yet conventional analgesics like opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and acetaminophen carry risks of side effects such as nausea and dependency. Transdermal lidocaine patches (LP) have emerged as an alternative, promising localized pain relief with minimal systemic effects. However, the efficacy of LP varies across surgical procedures. In arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs, LP did not significantly reduce pain or opioid consumption and was associated with lower patient satisfaction. Conversely, in laparoscopic cholecystectomy, LP reduced shoulder pain effectively but showed limited overall pain relief. Studies in thoracic and cardiac surgeries presented mixed results, with some showing initial pain reduction but no sustained benefits. In robotic cardiac surgery and sternotomy, LP significantly reduced pain and opioid use at various postoperative stages. A safety analysis across multiple studies confirmed LP's tolerability, with mild skin irritation as the most common adverse event and no serious systemic side effects reported. Despite its potential, the long-term benefits of LP, especially in reducing opioid dependence, remain under-researched. This review highlights the importance of further studies to optimize LP use and explore its comparative effectiveness against other pain management strategies, indicating a need for comprehensive evaluations to better delineate LP's role in postoperative pain management.
