Effects of Subdiaphragmatic Saline and Sodium Bicarbonate Irrigation on Postoperative Shoulder Pain Following Laparoscopic Hysterectomy Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background & Objective: This study aims to compare the effects of subdiaphragmatic saline and sodium bicarbonate irrigation on postoperative shoulder pain following laparoscopic hysterectomy surgeries.Materials & Methods: The study involved female patients aged 20 to 60 undergoing electives laparoscopic hysterectomies with ASA grades 1 and 2. Ninety patients meeting inclusion criteria were divided into control, normal saline, and sodium bicarbonate. Patients underwent standard preoperative procedures and anesthesia induction. During surgery, saline or sodium bicarbonate was administered sub diaphragmatically in the respective groups, while no intervention was performed in the control group.Results: Trend analysis of pain duration showed a declining trend in all groups, with significant reductions observed at various time intervals post-surgery (P<0.05). Pain severity also showed a diminishing trend across groups, with sodium bicarbonate demonstrating slightly lower severity immediately post-surgery than saline (P<0.05). While pain duration and severity decreased over time, no notable differences were observed between the experimental groups (P>0.05).Conclusion: Sodium bicarbonate led to shorter pain duration immediately post-surgery compared to saline, but no significant differences in pain severity were observed among groups.