A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral pregabalin for relief of shoulder pain after laparoscopic gynecologic surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy of pregabalin for the relief of postoperative shoulder pain after laparoscopic gynecologic surgery.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (Canadian Task Force classification I).


METHODS
Tertiary referral center, university hospital.


METHODS
Fifty-six women undergoing elective laparoscopic gynecologic surgery between June 2012 and March 2013.


METHODS
Women in the study group received 75 mg pregabalin 2 hours before surgery and then every 12 hours for 2 doses, and women in the control group received an identical capsule and the same dosage of placebo.


RESULTS
Visual analog scale (VAS) scores for shoulder pain and surgical pain at 24 and 48 hours after surgery were evaluated as primary outcome. Postoperative analgesics used and drug-related adverse events were also monitored. Patients in the pregabalin group had significantly lower postoperative VAS scores for shoulder pain at 24 hours, compared with the placebo group (median, 23.14 [range, 13.67-32.61] vs. 37.22 [27.75-46.64]; p = .04), and required less analgesic (p = .01). There were no significant differences in VAS scores for surgical pain and adverse events between the 2 groups (p = .56).


CONCLUSIONS
Perioperative administration of 75 mg pregabalin significantly reduced postoperative laparoscopic shoulder pain and amount of analgesic used.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. Electronic address: pattiya.kwan@gmail.com.
Pattiya
P
Nutthachote
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Porntip
P
Sirayapiwat
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Wirach
W
Wisawasukmongchol
Department of Anaesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Somrat
S
Charuluxananan
D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018890:Chemoprevention; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053591:Referred Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000069583:Pregabalin; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000700:Analgesics; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
Laparoscopic gynecologic surgery; Post-laparoscopic shoulder pain; Visual analog scale