Measurement of quality of recovery using the postoperative quality of recovery scale (PQRS) in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A prospective cohort pilot study

Abstract

Objectives

Quality of post-operative recovery is an essential end-point for evaluating anesthesia and surgery. Measures must incorporate patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction in addition to physiological indicators of recovery in order to fully assess the effects of anesthesia and surgery. This study is to explore the quality of recovery using the postoperative quality of recovery scale (PQRS) in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Methods

This is a single-center, prospective cohort pilot study. Patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were divided into two groups: Group D with deep neuromuscular blockade and Group M with moderate neuromuscular blockade. After surgery, patients were assessed by using Post-operative Quality Recovery Scale (PQRS).

Results

60 patients in group D and 60 patients in group M were analyzed. The proportion of patients with excellent surgical conditions in group D was higher than in group M. In the recovery room, at 15 min and 40 min after endotracheal extubation, the recovery of the physiological domain in group D was significantly higher than in group M. In postoperative day 1, the overall recovery percentage was 78.3% in group D and 76.7% in group M.

Conclusion

This is a pilot study showing that it is feasible and appropriate to use the postoperative quality of recovery scale (PQRS) in postoperative recovery assessment. Preliminary assessment of this result shows that anesthesia strategy with deep rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade-sugammadex reversal improved postoperative recovery versus the routine care with moderate neuromuscular block-neostigmine.