Impact of different intraoperative CO₂ pressure levels (8 and 15 mmHg) during laparoscopic hysterectomy performed due to benign uterine pathologies on postoperative pain and arterial pCO₂ : a prospective randomised controlled clinical trial.

Abstract

To compare the effects of two different intraoperative CO₂ pressures (8 and 15 mmHg) during laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign uterine pathologies in terms of postoperative abdominal and shoulder pain, laparoscopy-mediated vegetative alterations, pain medication requirement, arterial CO₂ pressure (pCO₂ ), surgical parameters, and safety. Prospective randomised controlled study. German university hospital. Female patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign uterine pathologies. Patients were randomised to a standard pressure (SP; 15 mmHg, control) or low-pressure (LP; 8 mmHg, experimental) group. Primary outcomes were postoperative abdominal and shoulder pain intensities, measured via numeric rating scale (NRS) and vegetative parameters (fatigue, nausea, vomiting, bloating) at 3, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were pain medication requirement (mg) and arterial pCO₂ (mmHg). Surgical parameters and intra- and postoperative complications were also recorded. In total, 178 patients were included. Patients in the LP group (n = 91) showed significantly lower postoperative abdominal and shoulder pain scores, fewer vegetative alterations, lower pain medication requirements, a shorter postoperative hospitalization, and lower intra- and postoperative arterial pCO₂ values compared with the SP group (n = 87; P ≤ 0.01). No differences in intra- and postoperative complications were observed between groups. Low-pressure laparoscopy seems to be an effective and safe technique for the reduction of postoperative pain and laparoscopy-induced metabolic and vegetative alterations following laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign indications. Low-pressure laparoscopy seems to be an effective and safe technique for reduction of pain following laparoscopic hysterectomy.