Patients with lower BMI are more likely to experience shoulder pain after single port laparoscopic myomectomy

Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of shoulder pain after single port transumbilical laparoscopic myomectomy and analyze patient and operative specific factors associated with post-laparoscopy shoulder pain (PLSP). This information can inform preoperative risk assessment and intervention. Method This is a prospective cohort study. Two hundred and twenty patients undergoing elected single-port laparoscopic myomectomy under general anaesthesia were divided into two groups according to whether they had shoulder pain after surgery. Patient demographic data and duration of surgery, intraoperative blood loss volume, intraoperative carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) usage volume, the usage of an abdominal drainage tube or not, the usage of patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) or not were recorded. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. Data were compared using Student’s t -test or chi-square test. Risk factors were analyzed using logistic regression. Results The incidence of shoulder pain was 43.18%. The body mass index (BMI) of the shoulder pain group was significantly lower than that of the non-shoulder pain group (OR = 0.629, p < 0.05). Patients with BMI < 21.64 are more likely to experience postoperative shoulder pain. The use rate of abdominal drainage tubes was higher in the non-shoulder pain group (OR = 0.509, p < 0.05). Conclusion PLSP is more likely to occur in patients with lower BMI (<21.64), and placing an abdominal drainage tube can reduce the occurrence of shoulder pain.