Analgesic efficacy of intraperitoneal, incisional, and intraperitoneal + incisional levobupivacaine in laparoscopic gynecological surgery

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the analgesic efficacy of intraperitoneal, incisional, and intraperitoneal + incisional levobupivacaine in laparoscopic gynecological surgery. Group 1 received levobupivacaine 20 mL intraperitoneally, Group 2 received levobupivacaine 20 mL to the trocar wounds, Group 3 received levobupivacaine 20 mL intraperitoneally and levobupivacaine 20 mL to the trocar wounds. Postoperative abdominal pain at rest and during mobilization and shoulder pain were assessed at the 2nd, 4th,12th, and 24th postoperatively by VAS. If VAS was >3, the analgesia was assessed as inadequate, and diclofenac sodium was injected. In addition, time the first analgesic requirement, total analgesic consumption, analgesic effectiveness, and the satisfaction of patients about the analgesic method were recorded during the postoperative period. No significant difference was found between groups with respect to VAS (p>0.05). Patients in Group 2 had a higher postoperative analgesic consumption and lower timing of the first analgesic requirement than Groups 1 and 3, but these differences were not significant (p>0.05). The satisfaction of the patients about the analgesic technique was similar between the groups. The use of levobupivacaine intraperitoneally is an alternative method to reducing of postoperative shoulder and abdominal pain in gynecological laparoscopic surgery. Also, we observed a lower total analgesic consumption and more analgesic effectiveness in intraperitoneal groups than the other. Further studies are needed with different intraperitoneal local anesthetics.