THURSDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Spraying aerosolized bupivacaine intraoperatively can reduce pain following laparoscopic cholecystectomy, according to the results of a randomized, controlled, double-blind trial presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Pain Society in San Antonio, Texas.
Nawar A. Alkhamesi, M.B., of St. Mary's Hospital, Imperial College London in the U.K., and colleagues randomized 80 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy into four groups: aerosolized intraperitoneal bupivacaine, aerosolized normal saline, local bupivacaine into the bladder bed, or control. All the patients had standard preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative care including anesthesia and analgesia.
The researchers found that administering aerosolized bupivacaine intraoperatively significantly reduced postoperative pain at six, 12 and 24 hours compared to the other treatments.
"Aerosolized intraperitoneal local anaesthetic is a very effective method to control postoperative pain and it significantly helps to abolish opiate use and helps in rapid mobilization leading to short hospitalization and less cost," the authors conclude.
Abstract
