Shoulder Tip Pain After Cesarean Section

The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of postoperative shoulder tip pain (STP) after cesarean section and compare spinal and general anaesthesia with respect to STP.

Three hundred patients who underwent cesarean section were randomly assigned to either spinal anaesthesia group (Group SA, n=143) or general anaesthesia group (Group GA, n=157). Postoperative STP was assessed at 8 hours and 24 hours after operation by Visual Analogue Scale of Pain (VAS).

There were no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of demographic data, operative findings, and clinical outcomes. The overall incidence of STP in study population was 35.7%. The incidence of STP in group SA (26.6%) was lower than that in group GA (43.9%)(p=0.005). Moreover VAS scores for STP at 6 hours and 24 hours were significantly lower in Group SA (p=0.001 and p<0.001, respectively).

Shoulder tip pain is a common complaint after cesarean section, which is more prevalent in general anaesthesia.