Effective Postoperative Pain Relief After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy With TENS

Postoperative pain is often a problem after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Conventional treatment with intravenous (iv) opioids often offers satisfactory pain relief. However, opioids have negative side effects, such as sedation, nausea, and respiratory depression. Some of these side effects require monitoring of the patient, resulting in longer duration of stay in the post‐anesthesia care unit (PACU) after surgery. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) has been used to provide pain relief in various postoperative pain conditions. Previous studies from the investigator's center indicate that TENS treatment for postoperative pain after gynecological surgery results in shorter time in the PACU. Previous studies indicate that patients reporting pain intensity associated with venous cannulation to > 2 VAS (visual analog scale) units have higher risk of postoperative pain in the PACU. The aim of the study is to compare time spent in the PACU and to compare the postoperative pain relieving effect of high frequency, high intensity TENS as first line of treatment with conventional treatment with iv opioids in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Furthermore, the study evaluates if postoperative opioid consumption can be reduced by using TENS as first line of treatment. In addition, the study tests if pain intensity associated with venous cannulation can be used to predict occurrence of postoperative pain.