Objective: The current randomized controlled study was performed to assess the effect of perioperative intravenous lidocaine infusion on pain, bowel function and levels of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8 and IL-1ra after larparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods: Eighty patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly allocated to receive intravenous lidocaine (bolus injection of 1.5 mg/kg lidocaine at induction of anesthesia, then a continuous infusion of 2 mg /kg/h until the end of surgery) or an equal volume of saline. Anesthesia and multimodal perioperative analgesia were standardized. Pain scores [visual analogue scale (VAS), 0-10 cm], opioid consumption, time to first flatus and time to first bowel movement were measured after surgery. The levels of serum IL-6、IL-8 and IL-1ra were also measured at scheduled times within 48 h. Results: Seventy-one of the 80 patients who were recruited completed the study protocol. Patient demographics were similar in the two groups. Lidocaine significantly reduced pain intensity at 2 hours (lidocaine 3.01±0.65cm vs. placebo 4.27±0.58cm, p=0.01) and 6 hours (lidocaine 3.38±0.42cm vs. placebo 4.22±0.67cm, p=0.01) and total fentanyl consumption 24 hours after surgery (lidocaine 98.27±16.33µg vs. placebo 187.49±19.76µg, p=0.005). Time to first flatus passage (lidocaine 20±11hours vs. placebo 29±10 hours, p=0.01) and time to first bowel movement (lidocaine 41±16 hours vs. placebo 57±14 hours, p=0.01) were also significantly shorter in patients who received lidocaine. The levels of serum IL-6 and IL-18 in the lidocaine group after operation were lower than that in the control group. Conclusions: This study indicates that perioperative systemic lidocaine improves postop¬erative recovery and attenuates the excessive release of serum IL-6 and IL-8 following laparoscopic cholecystectomy