Pre-insertion local anesthesia at the trocar site improves peri-operative pain and decreases costs in laparoscopic cholecystectomy

This prospective randomized study investigates the effect of pre-insertion load anesthesia at the trocar site in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Fourty- three study patients who were injected with 0.5% bupivacaine hydrochloride at the trocar site before inserting the trocars, were compared with 41 cont rol patients (no local anesthesia). Both groups were equal with regard to g ender, age, weight, operative time, estimated operative blood loss and bile culture. The study group showed less pain (p < 0.001 for all 4 sites) both at 4 and 24 hours after surgery. Post-operatively they used less pain medi cations, mepiridine and promethzine (p = 0.02, 0.001 and 0.002 respectively ). This resulted in less costs and charges (p = 0.004 and 0.005). Pre-inser tion local anesthesia at the trocar site in laparoscopic cholecystectomy si gnificantly reduces post-operative pain and costs.