A COMPARISON OF PREEMPTIVE GABAPENTIN WITH PREGABALIN FOR RELIEF OF POSTOPERATIVE PAIN IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING CHOLECYSTECTOMY

In view of these facts we planned present study, to compare mean time duration scores from end of surgery to patient's demand for analgesic for pain relief, after open cholecystectomy with preoperative use of pregabalin and gabapentin. After obtaining approval of hospital ethical committee, this randomized controlled study was performed on 126 participants of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade I and II patients between the ages of 35-65 years scheduled for open cholecystectomy. The results of a previous study2 formed the basis for calculating sample size using OpenEpi, Version 3.01, open source calculator keeping a power of 90% with two sided confidence interval at 95% in two groups of equal size and with difference in mean time duration scores between group A and group B equal to 15 minutes with a sample size 63 in each group2. After conclusion of the procedure, all patients were shifted to post anesthesia care unit (PACU).When the patient first demanded analgesic for pain relief, the time duration from completion of surgery to the time of first demand for analgesic was calculated and recorded in minutes.