Celecoxib premedication in post-operative analgesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Abstract

Abstract The analgesic effect of celecoxib on postoperative laparoscopic cholecystectomy pain was studied in a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Sixty ASA 1 and 2 patients were randomized to receive celecoxib 200 mg or placebo orally before the operation under a standardised general anaesthetic for the elective surgery. All patients had intravenous morphine via a patient-controlled analgesia device (PCA). Postoperative abdominal and trochar site pain, shoulder pain and morphine consumption were assessed hourly until the 6th hour, and then at the 12th and 24th hour. There was no statistical significance in the pain scores and morphine consumption for the two treatment groups. We conclude that the opioid-sparing effect of celecoxib in acute pain management for laparoscopic cholecystectomy is clinically not useful and a combination of analgesia techniques may be more effective in treatment of multi-factorial post laparoscopic cholecystectomy pain.