Effect of 0.5% bupivacaine at the surgical bed after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the effect of 0.5% bupivacaine irrigated at the surgical bed on postoperative pain relief in laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients. This study included 80 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy who were prospectively randomized into 2 groups. The placebo group [n=40] received 20cc saline without bupivacaine, instilled into the gallbladder bed. The bupivacaine group [n=40] received 20cc of 0.5% bupivacaine at the same surgical site. Pain was assessed at 0,6,12, and 24 hours by using a visual analog scale [VAS]. Asignificant difference [p=0.018] was observed in pain levels between both groups at 6 hours post operatively. The average analgesic requirement was lower in the bupivacaine group, but this did not reach statistical significance. The use of bupivacaine irrigated in the surgical bed was an effective method for reducing pain during the first postoperative hours after laparoscopic cholecystectomy