INTRAPERITONEAL BUPIVACAINE FOR EFFECTIVE PAIN RELIEF AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is now widely practised. There are variou s methods of pain relief used but none has been assessed or compared f ollowing this procedure. We have assessed the analgesic effect of intr apetitoneal bupivacaine in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Sixty consecu tive patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Patients in group 1 were given 20 ml of saline injected under vision into the reg ion of the gallbladder bed. Patients in group 2 were given 20 ml of 0. 25% bupivacaine in a similar fashion. Postoperative pain was assessed with a visual analogue pain scale and the site of pain was recorded. P atients in the bupivacaine group had less pain in the early postoperat ive period and a lower incidence of pain in the right hypochondrium. I ntraperitoneal bupivacaine is a simple and effective treatment for pos toperative pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.