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Published on: June 25, 2013
Spinal vs general anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy: interim analysis of a controlled randomized trial
George Tzovaras1, Frank Fafoulakis, Kostantinos Pratsas
1Department of Surgery, University of Thessaly Medical School, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece. gtzovaras@hotmail.com
Objective:
To compare spinal anesthesia with the gold standard general anesthesia for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy in healthy patients.
Design:
Controlled randomized trial.
Setting:
University hospital.
Patients:
One hundred patients with symptomatic gallstone disease and American Society of Anesthesiologists status I or II were randomized to have laparoscopic cholecystectomy under spinal (n = 50) or general (n = 50) anesthesia.
Methods:
Intraoperative parameters, postoperative pain, complications, recovery, and patient satisfaction at follow-up were compared between the 2 groups.
Results:
All the procedures were completed by the allocated method of anesthesia, as there were no conversions from spinal to general anesthesia. Pain was significantly less at 4 hours (P < .001), 8 hours (P < .001), 12 hours (P < .001), and 24 hours (P = .02) after the procedure for the spinal anesthesia group compared with those who received general anesthesia. There was no difference between the 2 groups regarding complications, hospital stay, recovery, or degree of satisfaction at follow-up.
Conclusions:
Spinal anesthesia is adequate and safe for laparoscopic cholecystectomy in otherwise healthy patients and offers better postoperative pain control than general anesthesia without limiting recovery.
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