Humidified compared with dry, heated carbon dioxide at laparoscopy to reduce pain

OBJECTIVE: To study whether using 95% humidified, heated carbon dioxide (CO2) at laparoscopy reduces pain compared with dry, heated CO2. METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to either heated, 95% humidified CO, (study group) or heated, dry CO, (control group) during laparoscopy. Pain control was achieved per standard protocols. Pain scales were administered the first 4 hours and 24 and 48 hours postoperatively. RESULTS: The 89 patients available in the intent-to-treat model revealed a decrease in total morphine equivalents and a decrease in pain scores at 1, 2, and 24 hours in the study group (directional P values <.05). Subgroup analysis in patients without chronic pelvic pain revealed lower mean pain scores at 1, 2, 24, and 48 hours and decreases in postoperative and total morphine equivalents (directional P values <.05) in the study group. CONCLUSION: At laparoscopy, heated, 95% humidified CO, effectively decreases postoperative pain and narcotics usage compared with heated, dry CO2.