The effect of intraperitoneal ropivacaine on post-operative pain and recovery after diagnostic laparoscopy and hysterosocopy: A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial

Background Intraperitoneal local anaesthetic has shown benefit in operative laparoscopy; however, no randomised controlled trial has been reported with patients having diagnostic laparoscopy. Aims To determine the effect of intraperitoneal ropivacaine on post-operative analgesic requirements, pain, nausea scores and recovery following gynaecological diagnostic laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. Materials and Methods Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Well women aged 18-50 years, undergoing day case hysteroscopy and diagnostic laparoscopy for gynaecological indications were randomised to 20 mL of 150 mg intraperitoneal ropivacaine diluted in saline, or 20 mL normal saline instillation (placebo) at the end of the procedure. Women were followed up until eight hours post-discharge. Results Slower than anticipated recruitment meant that the study was finished before the sample size of 100 patients was achieved. Fifty-nine patients were included for analysis. Thirty-one patients were randomised to ropivacaine and 28 patients to control. Sixty-one percent of patients in both arms required opioid medication in recovery. The total median equivalent morphine dose was significantly higher in the patients randomised to control (11.7 mg) vs ropivacaine (6.7 mg), P = 0.03. Time to discharge was 20 min faster in patients randomised to ropivacaine, but this finding did not reach significance. Overall pain and nausea scores in the first eight hours showed no significant differences. Conclusion There was significantly reduced opioid use in recovery when using intraperitoneal ropivacaine compared to placebo, in this randomised placebo-controlled trial on women undergoing day case diagnostic laparoscopy and hysteroscopy.