Objectives
To compare using deep neuromuscular blockade during low abdominal insufflation pressure (DNMB/LAIP;  = 67) to conventional blockade and pressure (CNMB/CAIP;  = 68) for laparoscopic cholecystectomy and to evaluate the speed and efficacy of NMB recovery using sugammadex (SGX) as assessed by the Postoperative Quality Recovery Scale.
Patients & Methods
Rocuronium initiation and maintenance doses were 0.6 and 0.15 mg/Kg, respectively, and neostigmine or SGX was used as reverse agent for CNMB and DNMB, respectively. Abdominal insufflation was terminated at 15 and 8-mmHg, for CAIP and LAIP, respectively. The study outcome is the surgical feasibility under DNMB/LAIP, as judged by the frequency of shift-to-CAIP, surgical field visibility and operative time.
Results
The frequency of shift-to-CAIP was 2.9% due to surgeons’ inconvenience of LAIP. DNMB allowed significant control of intraoperative (IO) hemodynamic response to surgical manipulations. SGX allowed 3.2 times faster NMB-reversal with significantly higher percentages of patients returned to baseline physiologic statuses. The percentage of patients free of pain and nausea was significantly higher after DNMB/LAIP. At hospital discharge and day-7 PO, 86.6% and 98.5% of patients regained normalcy of their overall perspectives after DNMB/LAIP with a significant difference than after CNMB/CIAP. At 2-week PO, the frequency of shoulder-tip pain (STP) was significantly lower and surgeons’ satisfaction rate was significantly with DNMB/LAIP.
Conclusion
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy under DNMB/LAIP procedure is feasible and safe with lower incidence and severity of STP and high surgeons’ satisfaction. Sugammadex hastened the recovery of DNMB 3.2 times that of neostigmine-induced recovery of CNMB. Registration NO: RC.3.9.2023