Deep neuromuscular blocking and sugammadex reversing-drug is an efficient strategy permitting successful laparoscopic surgery under low insufflation pressure: Prospective multicenter study

Objectives To compare using deep neuromuscular blockade during low abdominal insufflation pressure (DNMB/LAIP; n = 67) to conventional blockade and pressure (CNMB/CAIP; n = 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

Automated summary

Comparing deep neuromuscular blockade and low abdominal insufflation pressure to conventional blockade and pressure for laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the former allows better control of intraoperative hemodynamic response, faster recovery, and better postoperative outcomes.