Comparison of the Effectiveness of Intraoperative Intravenous Lidocaine and Intravenous Remifentanil in Postoperative Pain Management in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

This prospective observational study was designed to compare the effects of intraoperative intravenous lidocaine and intravenous remifentanil on postoperative pain control, hemodynamic stability, and recovery quality in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia. Although laparoscopic surgery is minimally invasive, patients frequently experience moderate to severe postoperative pain, which can delay recovery and discharge. Multimodal analgesia strategies have been developed to improve postoperative comfort while minimizing the adverse effects of opioids such as respiratory depression, nausea, and delayed recovery.

The study was conducted following approval from the institutional ethics committee, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Patients aged over 18 years with an ASA physical status of I-II were included. Standard monitoring (DII and V5 ECG, non-invasive blood pressure, and pulse oximetry) was applied upon arrival in the operating room. General anesthesia was induced with fentanyl (1-2 mcg/kg), lidocaine (1 mg/kg), propofol (2-2.5 mg/kg), and rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg). Anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane in oxygen/air mixture.

Hemodynamic parameters, including heart rate, systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures, and oxygen saturation (SpO₂), were recorded at baseline and at defined intraoperative intervals. Twenty minutes before the end of the procedure, intravenous paracetamol (15 mg/kg) and tramadol hydrochloride (10 mg/kg) were administered for postoperative analgesia. After emergence from anesthesia, patients were transferred to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and then to the ward once the Aldrete recovery score reached 9.

Postoperative pain intensity was assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) at regular intervals for 24 hours. When NRS > 4, rescue analgesia was administered according to the institutional protocol. The collected data were analyzed to compare intraoperative hemodynamic stability, depth of anesthesia, postoperative recovery characteristics, and analgesic requirements between the lidocaine and remifentanil groups.

The primary hypothesis of this study is that intravenous lidocaine can provide comparable postoperative analgesia to remifentanil, with potential benefits such as improved hemodynamic stability, faster recovery, and fewer opioid-related side effects. The findings may support the use of lidocaine as an effective opioid-sparing alternative in multimodal analgesia protocols for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients over 18 years of age
• ASA physical status I-II
• Scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia
• Provided written and verbal informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Allergy or contraindication to lidocaine, remifentanil, or study drugs
• Severe cardiovascular, hepatic, or renal disease
• Pregnancy or lactation
• Conversion from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy
• Refusal to participate