title: [Recovery of lung function after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: the role of postoperative pain].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lung function has been shown to deteriorate after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). The present study evaluated 1) the rate of recovery after LC, and 2) the pathogenic role of postoperative pain in functional deterioration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lung function was measured 24 hours before LC, upon hospital discharge (48-72 h after LC), and 10 days later. All patients received metamizol after LC until discharge (2 g every 6 h i.v.). Half the patients (analgesia group) received tramadol (150 mg i.m.) 30 minutes before lung function testing on the day of hospital discharge. The remaining patients constituted the control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty healthy subjects (53 4 years old) undergoing LC for gall bladder removal. All signed informed consent forms. Measures and outcomes: Patient characteristics and preoperative lung function results were similar in both groups. LC duration and postoperative course were also similar in both groups. All were discharged without complications within 72 hours after LC. Lung function upon discharge (FVC, FEV1, TLC, PaO2 and AaPO2) had deteriorated in both groups (p<0.001). Deterioration was less marked in the analgesia group (p < 0.05). Ten days later, lung function had normalized for all subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that after LC, 1) lung function is still abnormal when the patient is discharged from hospital, 2) lung function has fully recovered within 10 days, and 3) postoperative pain contributes significantly to temporary deterioration in lung function.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Son Dureta. Palma de Mallorca, Sección Neumología Complejo Hospitalario de Mallorca, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de La Peña
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Togores
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maimo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abad
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Soro
authors.forename: A G N
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Agustí
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013997:Time Factors