title: Local Anesthesia Combined With Sedation Compared With General Anesthesia for Ambulatory Operative Hysteroscopy: A Randomized Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare two anesthetic techniques for postoperative pain after ambulatory operative hysteroscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women (N = 153) scheduled for ambulatory operative hysteroscopy were assigned to receive either paracervical local anesthesia combined with sedation (group LA + S; n = 76) or general anesthesia (group GA; n = 77). Primary outcome was the worst pain intensity score in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) rated by the patients on a numerical rating scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 144 patients were available for analysis (LA + S: n = 69; GA: n = 75). There were no significant differences in worst pain intensity between groups in the PACU (P = .13) or after discharge from PACU (P = .40). In group LA + S, fewer patients received treatment with intravenous fentanyl intraoperatively (P < .01) and time until discharge from PACU was shorter (P < .01). More patients in group LA + S experienced vomiting after discharge (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Local anesthesia with sedation can be recommended as a first choice anesthetic technique for operative ambulatory hysteroscopy.
authors.forename: Lone Dragnes
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Brix
authors.forename: Theis Muncholm
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Thillemann
authors.forename: Lone
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nikolajsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016528:Postanesthesia Nursing
keywords: ambulatory surgery; anesthesia; operative hysteroscopy; postoperative pain