Assessment of the usefulness of bupivacaine in controlling pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Abstract

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is an established form of treatment for patients with symptomatic gallstone disease. The present study was conducted to assess the usefulness of bupivacaine in controlling pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Materials & Methods: The present study was conducted on patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy of both genders. Patients were divided into 2 groups. Group I patients were given 20 ml of saline injected under vision into the region of the gallbladder bed and group II patients were given 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine. In both groups, postoperative pain was assessed with a visual analogue scale (VAS) at 1 hour, 3 hours 6 hours and 8 hours. Results: Group I had 12 males and 13 females while group II had 10 males and 15 females. The mean VAS score in group I was 4.2 and in group II was 2.3 at 1 hour, at 3 hours was 3.6 and 2.0 at 3 hours in both groups, at 6 hours was 2.4 and 1.8 in group I and group II respectively. At 8 hours was 1.6 and 1 in group I and group II respectively. At 1 hour and 3 hours, difference was significant (P