Korean J Anesthesiol.  2002 Feb;42(2):198-204. 10.4097/kjae.2002.42.2.198.

Effects of Intraperitoneal Lidocaine on Abdominal and Shoulder Pain after a Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

• Kang WJ
• Kim SH
• Lee SM

• KMID: 2039806
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2002.42.2.198

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although a laparoscopic cholecystectomy results in less pain than an open cholecystectomy, it is not a pain-free procedure. A controversy exists over the effectiveness and clinical value of intraperitoneal local anesthetics for treating pain after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We investigated the effects of intraperitoneal lidocaine on pain after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
METHODS
Forty patients were randomly assigned to receive 200 ml saline containing 200 mg lidocaine or the same volume of saline instilled under the right hemidiaphragm and cholecystectomy site at the end of surgery. Intensity of abdominal and shoulder pain were assessed 0, 1, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after surgery and recorded on a visual analog scale (VAS) and verbal rating scale (VRS).
RESULTS
The abdominal pain scores (VAS and VRS) were significantly lower in the lidocaine group than the control group at 0 - 24 hours after surgery (P < 0.05). The shoulder pain scores and incidence were significantly lower in the lidocaine group than the control group at 6 - 12 hours after surgery. In the lidocaine group, the incidence of epigastric and right flank pain were significantly lower than the control group.
CONCLUSIONS
Intraperitoneal instillation of lidocaine significantly reduces shoulder and abdominal pain for 24 hours after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Keyword

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy; lidocaine; postoperative pain

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Anesthetics, Local
Cholecystectomy
Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic*
Flank Pain
Humans
Incidence
Lidocaine*
Pain, Postoperative
Shoulder Pain*
Shoulder*
Visual Analog Scale
Anesthetics, Local
Lidocaine