Evaluation of single preoperative dose of pregabalin in terms of postoperative pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Evaluation of single preoperative dose of pregabalin in terms of postoperative pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial (RCT). Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted in Surgical Department of Military Hospital Rawalpindi over a period of one year from Jan 2013 to Dec 2013. Material and Methods: One hundred patients (50 in each group) were included in this study. They were divided into two groups. Group-A was given pregabalin and group-B was given placebo after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Results: Mean age was 38.2 ± 11.0 years in group A and 36.9 ± 11.7 years in group B. Regarding distribution of gender, 14 patients (28.0%) in group-A and 17 patients (34.0%) in group-B were males while 36 patients (72.0%) in group-A and 33 patients (66.0%) in group-B were females. Mean visual analogue score at 24 hours was 4.98 ± 1.87 and 6.58 ± 2.03 in group-A and B, respectively. The difference between two group was statistically significant (p<0.001). Analgesia was required in 17 patients (34.0%) in group-A and 37 patients of group-B. Conclusion: A single preoperative oral dose of pregabalin 150 mg was found very effective method for reducing postoperative pain in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. (author)