Effects of Gabapentin on Postoperative Pain and Total Analgesic Requirement After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Semira1, Zaffar Abbas2 and Amina Bashir31Pharmacology, Sher- i - Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Medical College, Srinagar, India.
2Pharmacology, Laxmi Bhai Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Patiala, India.
3Pharmacology, Govt Medical College, Srinagar, India.
Corresponding Author E-mail: samiraimran07@yahoo.com
Abstract: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of preoperative use of gabapentin on postoperative pain in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Sixty adult patients listed for laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly allocated to two groups of 30 each to receive gabapentin 600 mg p.o. or a matching placebo 2 hours before surgery. Postoperative pain was monitored using 100 mm visual analogue scale (0 for no pain and 100 for worst imaginable pain) at 1, 2, 6, 12 and 24 hours. Diclofenac 75 mg IM was used as rescue analgesic and total analgesic requirement (mg/24hr) in first 24 hours following surgery was recorded. Postoperative pain scores and total analgesic requirement was significantly less in gabapentin group compared to placebo group. A single 600 mg dose of gabapentin given preoperatively decreased postoperative pain and total analgesic requirement following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Preemptive use of gabapentin can be used to treat postoperative pain caused by laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Keywords: Gabapentin; Postoperative Pain; Visual Analogue Scale Back to TOC