Effect of humidified and heated CO₂ during gynecologic laparoscopic surgery on analgesic requirements and postoperative pain

Study Objective. To determine the effect of humidified and heated CO ₂ for pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopic surgery on analgesic requirements, postoperative pain, and patient satisfaction. Design. Prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled study (Canadian Task Force classification I). Setting. University hospital. Patients. Ninety consecutive women scheduled for gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. Intervention. Operative laparoscopic management of adnexa surgery or adhesiolysis. Measurements and Main Results. Thirty consecutive patients were randomized into each study group. Group I received humidified, heated gas; group II dry, heated gas; and group III (control group) standard dry, cold gas. No significant difference in intraoperative and postoperative analgesic requirements or postoperative pain score between group I and group II was found. There was even a tendency (not significant) toward less pain and higher postoperative satisfaction in patients in the control group. Therefore, the evaluation was stopped after 53 patients. Conclusion. The use of humidified, heated gas did not reduce postoperative pain or intraoperative analgesic requirements and is thus not preferable to standard dry, cold gas in gynecologic laparoscopic surgery.