Comparison of Postoperative Pain and Residual Gas Between Restrictive and Liberal Fluid Therapy in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: Different fluid regimens are used in the clinical management of perioperative fluid therapy, but there still is the argument about which fluid regimen is better for patients. This study was mainly designed to compare different fluid regimens on postoperative pain and residual gas in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

METHODS: A total of 100 patients were equally randomized to receive restrictive fluid infusion (n=50) with lactated Ringer (LR) solution 5 mL/kg/h or liberal fluid infusion (n=50), with 30 mL/kg/h lactated Ringer solution. Postoperative pain was evaluated at 1, 6, and 24 hours after surgery using a visual analog scale (VAS). Postoperative subdiaphragmatic residual gas was monitored by x-ray at 24 hours after surgery.

RESULTS: Patients in the restrictive group had significantly higher VAS pain scores at 6 hours after surgery than those in the liberal group (P=0.009). The incidence of subdiaphragmatic residual gas in the restrictive group was higher than in the liberal group (P=0.045). Patients who had residual gas had higher VAS pain scores than those with no residual gas in the restrictive group at 6 hours after surgery (P=0.02).

CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy with restrictive fluid therapy may suffer more severe postoperative pain than those receiving liberal fluid therapy. It suggests that the higher incidence of subdiaphragmatic residual gas may have occurred with restrictive fluid therapy.