A Comparative Study on Spinal Anesthesia versus General Anesthesiafor Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Abstract

Introduction: The choice between spinal anesthesia and general anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy can influence patient outcomes, recovery times, post-operative pain management and complication rates. Evaluating these anesthesia techniques is essential for optimizing patient care and surgical efficiency. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of spinal versus general anesthesia in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods & Materials: This comparative study was conducted at the Department of Anesthesiology, Sheikh Hasina Medical College Hospital, Jamalpur and 250 Beded General Hospital, Jamalpur Bangladesh from January 2024 to May 2024. In the study, 120 patients classified under the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Grades I or II were randomly divided into two groups for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Group A (60 patients) received general anesthesia, while Group B (60 patients) received spinal anesthesia. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Results: Demographic data showed that over half of both groups were under 30 years, with females predominating at 55.0% in Group A and 56.7% in Group B. Group A had a significantly longer anesthesia duration compared to Group B (p<0.001) and notably longer pneumoperitoneum time (p=0.013). Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores were consistently higher for Group A at all time points, all statistically significant with p-values under 0.0001. Group A also experienced more postoperative events than Group B. Conclusion: General anesthesia is traditionally preferred for more complex procedures due to better airway control. However, spinal anesthesia demonstrates some advantages over general anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy, particularly in terms of better post-operative pain management and less side effects.