The Intensity of Postlaparoscopic Shoulder Pain Is Positively Correlated with the Amount of Residual Pneumoperitoneum

Study Objective: Residual carbon dioxide, which is inevitably retained in the abdominal cavity after laparoscopy, plays an important role in inducing postlaparoscopic shoulder pain (PLSP). The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the volume of a residual pneumoperitoneum and the intensity of PLSP. Design: A prospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting: A university hospital. Patients: A total of 203 patients undergoing laparoscopy for nonmalignant gynecologic diseases. Interventions: Gynecologic laparoscopy. Main Outcome Measures: The volume of the residual pneumoperitoneum was measured by performing chest radiography 24 hours after surgery. The pneumoperitoneum was graded as high volume (defined as the median volume of the pneumoperitoneum) and low volume (defined as