Effect of the pulmonary recruitment maneuver on pain after laparoscopic gynecological oncologic surgery: a prospective randomized trial

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the pulmonary recruitment maneuver (PRM) at the end of the operation to decrease laparoscopy-induced abdominal or shoulder pain after gynecological oncologic surgery. METHODS: In total, 113 women undergoing laparoscopic surgery for malignant or premalignant gynecological lesions were assigned randomly to two groups: the PRM group (the patient was placed in the Trendelenburg position (30°) and the PRM, consisting of two manual pulmonary inflations to a maximum pressure of 40 cmH(2)O) (n=54) and the control group (n=52). Postoperative shoulder and abdominal pain was assessed 12, 24, and 48 hours later using a visual analog scale (0–10). In addition, the incidence of post-discharge nausea and vomiting was recorded until 48 hours after discharge. RESULTS: Postoperative shoulder pain at 12 and 24 hours was significantly less severe in the PRM group (2.2±0.5 and 2.0±0.4) than in the control group (4.0±0.5 and 3.9±0.4; both p<0.001). The PRM significantly reduced the severity of upper abdominal pain at 12 and 24 h compared with the control group (3.1±0.4 and 2.9±0.4 vs. 5.9±0.5 and 4.9±0.5; both p<0.001). The analgesic requirement during the postoperative period was similar in the two groups (control group, 78.8%; PRM group, 75.9%; p=0.719). CONCLUSION: The PRM effectively and safely reduced postoperative shoulder and upper abdominal pain levels in patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecological oncologic surgery. Trial registry at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01940042.