Comparative Analysis of Post Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Abdominal Pain in Patients with and without Abdominal Drain in Uncomplicated Cholecystectom

Objective: To compare abdominal pain experienced by patients with and without a subhepatic drain placed after uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Study Design: Prospective comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: General Surgery Department of Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, Pakistan from Aug 2023 to Feb 2024. Methodology: One hundred and eighty-two patients who underwent uncomplicated elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallstones were included in the study, and split into two equal groups of 91 patients each. In Group-A, the subhepatic drain was placed during the surgery, and in Group-B, no drain was placed. Assessment of intra-abdominal pain in both groups was done with the help of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Results: The mean age of 182 patients was 47.88±9.5 years. Seventy-five (41.2%) were male, and 107 (58.8%) were female. Twenty-four hours after the surgery, significant abdominal pain was present in 22(24.1%) patients with subhepatic drain and only 4(4.3%) patients without drain. Median intra-abdominal pain in Group-A was 3(1), and in Group-B, it was 2(1). No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding the development of nausea/vomiting, fever, perihepatic collection, and surgical site infection (SSI) in the postoperative period. Conclusion: After performing uncomplicated elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy, subhepatic drain is associated with increased intra-abdominal pain without offering any significant advantage.