Effect of exaggerated lithotomy position on treatment of shoulder pain seen after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Effect of Exaggerated Lithotomy Position on Treatment of Shoulder Pain Seen After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy This research was performed as a quasi-experimental study by applying an exaggerated lithotomy position on the patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a surgical clinic to eliminate the pain relief impact. Demographic data of the patients in research, testing and control group, additional disease distribution, operation time, visual scale of pain, SPO2 findings, analgesic and the amount of analgesics were compared. Research has been performed electively with 102 patients which have been observed for 24 hours on the first day after the surgery among the patients who had underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery in a Training and Research Hospital, General Surgery Clinic between the dates 12.12.2012-30.05.2013 that meet study inclusion and exclusion criteria and who accepted the research. Pain level of the patients was measured by visual scale of pain and SPO2 signs, pulse oximeter. Data were collected through face to face interviews and were recorded on data collection forms by the researcher. As a result of the research, it was found that visual analog scale findings of patients in the experimental group exaggerated lithotomy position was applies are significantly lower than the patients with shoulder pain control group. The effect and speed on pain relief for patients that exaggerated lithotomy position was found more effective and faster when compared to patients treated with only diclofenac sodium. Peripheral saturation levels in patients that exaggerated lithotomy position was applied increased more quickly than the control group that analgesic was applied. It was found that both total amount of analgesic and opioid use were found lower for the patients in the experimental group, when compared to patients in the control group. As a result; it was observed that exaggerated lithotomy position is an effective and fast non-pharmacologic method in reducing shoulder pain reflected after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, reduces additional analgesic and opioid use and with pain control it may recover respiratory functions more rapidly. Based on these result exaggerated lithotomy position after laparoscopic cholecystectomy may be said to be useful in reducing pain