Can Surgical Approach Affect Post-operative Analgesic Requirements Following Laparoscopic Nephrectomy: Transperitoneal Versus Retroperitoneal? A Prospective Clinical Study

Background: We performed this prospective clinical study to compare the post-operative recovery profile of our patients after transperitoneal and retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy techniques. Our primary aim was to compare post-operative epidural analgesic consumption of transperitoneal (Group T) and retroperitoneal (Group R) laparoscopic nephrectomy patients within the first 24 hours.

Methods: Forty-four patients scheduled for elective transperitoneal or retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomies were enrolled. All patients in both groups received epidural catheter, 2.5ml test dose of lidocaine 2% and general anesthesia induction. At the end of the surgery, patients were given 1g IV paracetamol and 10ml 0.25% bupivacaine through epidural catheters and extubated. In the post-operative care unit, patients started to receive a continuous infusion of 0,1% bupivacaine and 1µg/ml fentanyl 5ml/h with patient-controlled boluses of an additional 4ml by a patient controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) device. They were prescribed IV tramadol 1mg/kg as a rescue analgesic (Visual analog scale (VAS)≥4). Total analgesic consumptions from PCEA devices, VAS scores at rest and during mobilization, heart rates (HRs), systolic (SBPs)/diastolic blood pressures (DBPs) at extubation (0th min-basal) and at post-operative 30th min, 2nd, 6th, 12th, 18th and 24th hours as well as number of patients who require rescue analgesic were recorded. Nausea, vomiting, time to first mobilization, return of bowel sounds and hospital stay were also documented. 0th and 30th min follow-ups were recorded in PACU and patients were passed on to ward nurses. Researchers who follow the patients at PACU and on the ward were all blinded to the surgical techniques.