Impact of Single-Dose Pre-operative Intravenous Dexamethasone on Clinical Outcome after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Abstract Introduction: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is a common surgical procedure for gallstone disease. Despite its minimally invasive nature, post-operative pain and post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) remain significant concerns that affect patient recovery and satisfaction. Dexamethasone, a corticosteroid with known analgesic and antiemetic properties, may help improve post-operative outcomes. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a single pre-operative intravenous dose of dexamethasone in reducing post-operative pain and PONV in patients undergoing elective LC. Materials and Methods: A prospective interventional study was conducted on 96 patients with uncomplicated symptomatic cholelithiasis. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: Group A ( n = 48) received 8 mg IV dexamethasone 60 min before surgery, and Group B ( n = 48) received standard care. Post-operative pain was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at 6, 12, 18 and 24 h. Incidence of nausea, vomiting and the requirement for analgesics and antiemetics were also recorded. Statistical analysis was performed with significance set at P < 0.05. Results: Group A demonstrated significantly lower VAS scores at all time intervals ( P < 0.05). The incidence of nausea (14.6%) and vomiting (10.4%) was reduced compared to Group B (25% each). Fewer patients in Group A required analgesics (31.2% vs. 62.5%) and antiemetics (35.4% vs. 54.2%), with overall drug usage being lower. Conclusion: A single pre-operative dose of IV dexamethasone effectively reduces post-operative pain, PONV and medication requirements, offering a cost-effective and straightforward enhancement to recovery following LC.