The Impact of Intraoperative CO 2 Pneumoperitoneum Pressure in Gastrointestinal Surgery: A Systematic Review

Pneumoperitoneum is widely used in gastrointestinal surgery, particularly for laparoscopic or robotic procedures, with suggested advantages associated with low pressure. While existing data predominantly focuses on laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the assessment of intra-abdominal pressures in other gastrointestinal surgeries remains unexplored.

This study conducted an electronic literature search for randomized control trials comparing low-pressure pneumoperitoneum to standard or high-pressure counterparts.

Out of 26 articles meeting inclusion criteria, encompassing 2077 patients, 15 demonstrated positive associations with low-pressure pneumoperitoneum. No significant difference in postoperative pain was found in the remaining papers. Methodological variations, diverse outcome reporting, and a prevalent high risk of bias precluded meta-analysis.

The study highlights substantial outcome variability, urging cautious interpretation of aggregated results. Despite positive associations in specific cases, insufficient evidence was found to support the superiority of low-pressure pneumoperitoneum. The study recommends future research employing validated patient-reported outcome measures and standardized reporting to help guide the development of evidence-based guidelines and optimize patient care in abdominal surgeries.