Low dose spinal anesthesia for open cholecystectomy: a feasibility and safety study

Background: Cholecystectomy is performed either open or a laparascopic route. the traditional and invasive open cholecystectomy is still in frequent practice for various reasons. Spinal anesthesia (SA) has been widely used as alternative to General Anesthesia (GA) for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. SA could be a safe and effective anaesthetic procedure for open cholecystectomy.  This study was conducted to uncover feasibility and safety of low dose SA for conducting open cholecystectomy.Methods: All consented patients of ASA grade I and II of either sex scheduled for elective open cholecystectomy received SA using 2 ml of 0.5% hyperbaric Bupivacaine mixed with 100 µg Morphine. Peri-operative preparations and management were all standardized. Other drugs being only administered to manage anxiety, pain, nausea/vomiting, hypotension, and any adverse event. Open cholecystectomy by right oblique incision. Intra-operative events and post-operative events were observed for 48 hours, operative difficulty, post operative pain free interval, analgesia requirements, hospital stay and the surgeon and patient satisfaction were studied.Results: 20 patients were included in the study from 1st may 2016 to December 2016. Spinal anesthesia was adequate for surgery in all patients. Operative difficulty scores were minimal and surgery in one patient was converted to open cholecystectomy. Intraoperatively, five patients presented hypotension and Ephedrine was given. Four patients experienced pain and received Fentanyl and midazolam. Postoperatively, pain scores were minimal and paracetamol was not sufficient only in four patients who received ketoprofen and no patient received opioid. One patient required antiemetic for vomiting and two patients suffered urinary retention and one headache. 19 patients were discharged within 48 hours of surgery and patient satisfaction scores were very good.Conclusions: Spinal anesthesia is safe and effective anesthetic technic for uncomplicated open cholecystectomy in terms of peri-operative events and, in prolonged post-operative analgesia, as well as in terms of patient and surgeon’s satisfaction.