Local prevention or amelioration of pain from surgically closed wounds

A method of preventing or ameliorating pain from a surgically closed wound in a subject comprising topically applying a pharmaceutically acceptable drug formulation comprising a therapeutically effective dose of lidocaine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and a polyvinylpyrrolidone hydro gel on or adjacent to an exterior surface of the wound, wherein said pharmaceutically acceptable drug formulation is contained in a patch and comprises from about 1 percent to about 25 percent, by weight, of said local anesthetic or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.