POST OPERATIVE PAIN –VAS SCORE, ANALGESIA REQUIREMENT, LENGTH OF HOSPITAL STAY AND FOLLOW UP IN OPEN AND LAPAROSCOPIC NEPHRECTOMY.

Abstract

This was a prospective study conducted in order to evaluate and compare pain scores through visual analogue scale, length of hospital stay and follow up in patients of benign renal disease and early renal malignancy. This study was conducted in the Department of Surgery, Batra Hospital and Medical Research centre, New Delhi. For the purpose of this study, a total number of 80 patients participated willingly after giving written informed consent. Out of these 40 were operated through open route and 40 patients underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy. Patients were grouped based on their route of surgery into open and laparoscopic groups. The comparison between them was made in relation to need for analgesia, hospital stay and convalescence. Follow up was done at 1 week, 4 weeks, 3 months and every six months so as to look for any delayed complications, chronic pain and recurrence in case of malignant disease. Female patients in the reproductive age group were more common in patients operated by laparoscopic route while as males were more common in open nephrectomy group. Laparoscopic group had lesser pain scores but on statistical analysis there were no signicant differences between the two groups. Mean hospital stay was (6.3 ±1.34) days in open group while as (4.2 ±1.22) days in the laparoscopic group. This study demonstrated that acute post operative pain scores were not different statistically between the two groups. Mean length of hospital stay was more in open group as compared to laparoscopic group. The cost of surgery was more in the laparoscopic group in comparison to open nephrectomy group. However, due to brief hospital stay, lesser morbidity, shorter convalescence and overall costs laparoscopic method was more useful in comparison with open route nephrectomy.