A Systematic Review of Postoperative Pain Management with Ketorolac in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Introduction: The effective management of postoperative pain following laparoscopic cholecystectomy is essential to enhance recovery, minimize complications, and reduce opioid dependence. Given the global urgency to limit opioid-related adverse effects, ketorolac—a potent NSAID with proven analgesic efficacy—offers a valuable alternative. Material and methods: This systematic review, conducted per PRISMA guidelines, evaluated the efficacy and safety of ketorolac for postoperative pain management in adults undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Eligible studies included RCTs, cohort, and comparative clinical studies reporting on pain, opioid use, and adverse events. Comprehensive database searches, standardized data extraction, and risk of bias assessments were performed. Heterogeneity was analyzed using I² statistics, with appropriate meta-analytic models applied based on its degree.Results: This systematic review included seven studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of ketorolac in postoperative pain management following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The findings demonstrated that ketorolac significantly reduced pain scores and opioid consumption within the first ۲۴ hours postoperatively. Additionally, ketorolac did not increase the incidence of adverse events such as nausea, vomiting, or bleeding, supporting its favorable safety profile and potential as an effective opioid-sparing analgesic in this surgical context.Conclusion: Based on the systematic review, ketorolac demonstrates effective postoperative analgesia following laparoscopic cholecystectomy, with significantly reduced pain scores and opioid consumption within the first ۲۴ hours. Its analgesic benefits were consistent across diverse populations and study designs, without a significant increase in adverse events. These findings support ketorolac as a safe, opioid-sparing alternative for pain management in this surgical setting.

کلیدواژه ها:

Ketorolac ، Postoperative pain management ، Laparoscopic cholecystectomy ، Nonsteroidal Anti ، Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)