Opioid-Free Anesthesia in Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery

Abstract

Introduction: Opioid-free anesthesia arises from pharmacological alternatives that allow another anesthetic option in the anesthesiologist's arsenal.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of an opioid-free anesthetic technique in patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

Methods: An analytical, prospective and longitudinal observational study was carried out in 23 patients operated on with opioid-free multimodal general anesthesia. The patients studied were over 18 years of age, with a body mass index greater than or equal to 35 kg/m2, ASA physical status II and III. Postoperative and intraoperative analgesia were evaluated as a need for rescue analgesia in recovery time and adverse effects.

Results: It was shown that the average age was 38.19 ± 8.73 with a predominance in the female sex, the patients were classified as ASA II and grade III obese. There was intraoperative hemodynamic stability. 82.6% of patients did not experience postoperative pain in the first 24 hours. There were no patients with severe pain. Five patients (21.7%) required rescue analgesia postoperatively, and complications were rare without clinical repercussions. The average time for extubation was 6.7 ± 0.8 min and total recovery was 29.6 ± 0.8 min.

Conclusions: The opioid-free multimodal technique was safe and effective, with adequate state of perioperative analgesia and few complications in patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery.