title: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical study on the effects of gabapentin premedication on hemodynamic stability during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopic surgery increases arterial pressures, heart rate, and systemic vascular resistance. In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical study, we investigated the efficacy of gabapentin premedication to provide perioperative hemodynamic stability in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients, of either sex (18-65 years of age) undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly allocated to two groups of 30 patients each. Patients of group G received oral gabapentin 900 mg 2 h before induction of anesthesia, while patients in group P received placebo at the same time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean arterial pressure in patients of group G were significantly lower (P < 0.05) after tracheal intubation and pneumoperitoneum and remained lower, as compared to group P, throughout the pneumoperitoneum. Similarly, heart rate in group G was significantly lower (P < 0.05) after tracheal intubation and pneumoperitoneum and remained lower, in comparison to group P, throughout the peumoperitoneum. Intravenous labetalol was required, to control intraoperative hypertension, in 33.3% (10 out of 30) patients in group P. There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse effects between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gabapentin premedication provided perioperative hemodynamic stability during laparoscopic surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Burdwan Medical College, Burdwan, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Mausumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neogi
authors.forename: Santanu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basak
authors.forename: Debasis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Sandip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Satrajit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dawn
authors.forename: Dhurjoti P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Bhattacharjee