An assessment of the value of intraperitoneal meperidine for analgesia postlaparoscopic tubal ligation

Abstract

Patients undergoing laparoscopic procedures may experience postoperative pain. The intraperitoneal (IP) administration of drugs is controversial but has proven effective in some studies for the relief of postoperative pain. However, some investigators have not been able to confirm the analgesic efficacy of IP local anesthetics. The administration of IP opioids for the relief of postoperative pain has received little attention. At the end of laparoscopic tubal ligation, 100 patients received 80 mL of 0.125% bupivacaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine IP and 50 mg of meperidine either IP or IM. Postoperative pain scores were measured at rest and with movement. Pain scores were significantly lower in the group receiving the IP meperidine both at rest (P: < 0.01) and with movement (P: < 0.05). We conclude that the combination of intraperitoneal bupivacaine and intraperitoneal meperidine was better than the combination of IP bupivacaine and IM meperidine for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic tubal ligation.

Implications: The combination of bupivacaine and meperidine delivered to the intraperitoneal cavity proved superior to equivalent doses of intraperitoneal bupivacaine and IM meperidine for postoperative pain relief in patients undergoing laparoscopic tubal ligation. Intraperitoneal delivery of analgesia proved effective in this study and merits further study and more widespread use.