The Influence of Postoperative Pain Management on Recovery in Gallbladder Surgery

Abstract

Aim: To assess the impact of postoperative pain management on recovery in Gallbladder Surgery.

Materials and Methods: The hospital based prospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Surgery. A total of 100 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallbladder disease were included in the study.

Results: A total of 100 patients were included, with a mean age of 46.2 ± 12.3 years; most were females (62.0%) and aged 41–50 years (30.0%). Symptomatic cholelithiasis (70.0%) was the most common indication for surgery, while hypertension (24.0%) was the most frequent comorbidity. IV paracetamol plus NSAIDs (40.0%) was the most commonly used postoperative analgesic regimen. Patients receiving TAP block with paracetamol had the lowest postoperative pain scores, and pain decreased progressively over the first 24 hours in all groups. The mean time to first ambulation, oral intake, and hospital stay were 8.2 ± 2.3 hours, 6.9 ± 1.9 hours, and 2.3 ± 0.7 days, respectively, with all showing significant positive correlations with postoperative pain (p < 0.001). Postoperative nausea and vomiting occurred in 24.0% of patients, 30.0% required rescue analgesia, and 66.0% reported high satisfaction, which was significantly associated with lower pain scores (r = −0.49, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Effective postoperative pain management improved recovery after gallbladder surgery by promoting earlier ambulation and oral intake, shortening hospital stay, and reducing rescue analgesic requirements. Multimodal analgesia, particularly TAP block with paracetamol, provided superior pain relief and was associated with better patient satisfaction.