Pulmonary Recruitment Maneuver Reduces Shoulder Pain and Nausea After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Pain and nausea are common after laparoscopic surgery. This prospective, randomized, controlled trial aimed to investigate postoperative pain and as a secondary endpoint nausea, when performing a ventilator‐piloted Pulmonary Recruitment Maneuvre (PRM) at the end of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Method Patients having elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomized to either ordinary exsufflation or ventilator‐piloted PRM, to evacuate intra‐abdominal carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) before abdominal closure. A questionnaire with numeric rating scales (NRS) was utilized to evaluate pain and nausea at five occasions during 48 h following surgery. Analgesic and antiemetic treatment was also analyzed. Results 147 patients were analyzed, 76 receiving PRM and 71 controls. Overall pain was well controlled, with no significant difference between the groups regarding incidence ( P =0.149) nor intensity ( P =0.739). Incidence of shoulder pain was lower in the PRM group during the 48 postoperative hours, 44.7% versus 63.4% ( P =0.023). The number needed to treat (NNT) to reduce shoulder pain was 6 (95% Confidence Interval, CI, 2.9–35.5) for the 48‐h period. Incidence of nausea was lower in the PRM group during the 48‐h period, 51.3% versus 70.4% ( P =0.018). NNT was 6 (95% CI 2.9–27.4) for the 48‐h period. Nausea intensity was lower in the PRM group during the 48 h ( P =0.025). Fewer in the PRM population required antiemetics, 25.0% versus 42.3% ( P =0.027). Conclusion A ventilator‐piloted PRM at the end of laparoscopic cholecystectomy reduced incidence of shoulder pain, and incidence and intensity of nausea. Clinical trial registration www.clinicaltrials.gov . Identifier: NCT03026543.