• A T Adenuga, F Olakada, C Ojo, and J Aniero.
• Department of Surgery, Cedarcrest Hospitals, Abuja, Nigeria.
• Niger J Clin Pract. 2024 Jun 1; 27 (6): 754758754-758.

BackgroundThe creation of pneumoperitoneum using higher pressure is believed to be associated with increased postoperative abdominal pain.AimThis study aimed to compare postoperative abdominal pain following low pressure laparoscopic appendectomy and standard pressure laparoscopic appendectomy.MethodsThis was a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial of 54 patients aged between 18 and 56 years with clinical and/or radiologic diagnosis of acute appendicitis. The patients were randomly allocated to two groups: low pressure laparoscopic appendectomy (n = 26) and standard pressure laparoscopic appendectomy (n = 28). The intra-abdominal pressure was kept in either low pressure (9 mm Hg) or standard pressure (13 mm Hg). Abdominal and shoulder pain scores were assessed using the visual analog scale at 6 hours and 3 days post procedure. Postoperative analgesia requirement, duration of surgery, complications, and hospital stay were recorded.ResultsBoth groups match for the demographic parameters. Three patients required conversion from low to standard pressure. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of abdominal pain (P = 0.86) and shoulder pain (P = 0.33), duration of surgery (P = 0.51), complications (P = 0.17), and length of hospital stay (P = 0.83).ConclusionThe use of low pressure pneumoperitoneum did not reduce the incidence of abdominal pain in patients who had laparoscopic appendectomy. Patients with acute appendicitis can be treated with either low or normal pressure pneumoperitoneum depending on the experience of the surgeon.Copyright © 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice.

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