Intraperitoneal Bupivacaine Effect on Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting Following Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has multifactorial etiology. Pain and use of opioids are among the important factors. OBJECTIVES The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of intrapritoneal (IP) injection of bupivacaine on PONV. PATIENTS AND METHODS This was a double-blind randomized clinical trial, conducted on 66 patients aged 20-60, ASA I or II, candidates for LC. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Bupivacaine group received 20 mL bupivacaine 0.25% in the gallbladder bed, before and after cholecystectomy and the control group did not. The incidence of nausea and postoperative pain intensity was measured with Visual analogue scale (VAS) at 1, 2, 3 and 4 hours after operation, at rest and when coughing and changing positions. Nausea and vomiting occurrence were assessed at the same times. RESULTS There were no demographic data differences between groups. No differences were found between the two groups, in terms of incidence of nausea and vomiting. Furthermore, both groups were similar with respect to opioid consumption, during four hours post-operation. CONCLUSIONS Intraperitoneal bupivacaine administration at the beginning and end of laparoscopic cholecystectomy reduced only visceral and shoulder pains at the 4th postoperative hour, but had no effect on reducing neither PONV, nor opioid demand, during the first four postoperative hours.