IV Acetaminophen for Postoperative Pain Analgesia After Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

Gynecologic surgery has been revolutionized by the incorporation of minimally invasive techniques. Procedures that once resulted in multiple day hospital admissions are now being performed in outpatient surgery centers. Common factors that contribute to delayed discharge are inadequate postoperative pain control and increased nausea and vomiting. A multi-modal pain management approach is considered optimal at controlling postsurgical pain, which includes combining different analgesics that act in varying mechanisms. By using medications that act synergistically, the overall analgesia requirement can oftentimes be decreased.

Opioids have been found to be highly effective in controlling postoperative pain; however, are associated with dose-dependent risks including nausea, vomiting, constipation, urinary retention, sedation, and respiratory depression. Subsequently, non-opioid options are frequently desired in an attempt to minimize narcotic intake. In the United States, intravenous acetaminophen was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in November 2010 for the management of mild to moderate pain and the reduction of fever. Since this time, multiple studies have analyzed the role of intravenous acetaminophen in both acute and postoperative pain; however, none have been specific to laparoscopic hysterectomy. The primary study published evaluating intravenous acetaminophen in laparoscopic hysterectomies also included multiple other laparoscopic procedures from a variety of specialties including general surgery, urology, and urogynecology. In addition, the intravenous acetaminophen was started on average 19 hours after the conclusion of the case once the patient controlled analgesic was discontinued.

Improved postsurgical pain control achieved with intravenous acetaminophen may potentially lead to same day discharge after major laparoscopic gynecologic procedures. Same day discharge after laparoscopic hysterectomy has been shown to be a safe option with proper patient counseling and multi-modal pain medications. In addition, same day discharge is also associated with decreased health care expenditures. With continued efforts to cut hospital costs, the pressure to discharge patients earlier continues to be high.

The investigators propose that intravenous acetaminophen will improve post-operative pain control and decrease narcotic requirements for patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomies. Furthermore, The investigators expect to find decreased postsurgical nausea and vomiting and potentially quicker discharge to home. This could have a large impact on the field of gynecologic surgery as major procedures that once required overnight admission may now succeed at same day discharge.