Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Under Spinal Anaesthesia vs. General Anaesthesia: A Prospective Randomised Study

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is conventionally performed under general anaesthesia (GA) in our institution. There are multiple studies which have found spinal anaesthesia as a safe alternative. We have conducted this study of LC, performed under spinal anesthesia to assess its safety and feasibility in comparison with GA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients with symptomatic gallstone disease and American Society of Anesthesiologists status I or II were randomised to have LC under spinal (n = 25) or general (n = 25) anesthesia. Intraoperative vitals, postoperative pain, complications, recovery, and surgeon satisfaction were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: In the SA group six patients (24%) complained of shoulder pain, two patients required conversion to GA (8%) as the pain did not subside with Fentanyl. None of the patients in the SA group had immediate postoperative pain at operated site. Only two (8%) patients had pain score of 4 at the operative site within eight hours requiring rescue analgesic. One patient had nausea but no vomiting (4%). All the patients (100%) in the GA group had pain at operated site immediately after surgery and their pain score ranged from 4-7, all patients received rescue analgesic before shifting to the ward. In the first 24h tramadol required as rescue in the GA group was 82±24 mg which was significantly higher than the SA group requiring only 30±33.16 mg. Although, the GA group had more patients experiencing postoperative nausea & vomiting it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: SA as the sole anaesthesia technique is feasible, safe and cost effective for elective LC.