Association Between Age and the Incidence of Acute Postoperative Pain After Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

Rezaei, Mansour; Dehghani, Abbasali

doi:10.22034/mphrj.2026.587071.1102

Association Between Age and the Incidence of Acute Postoperative Pain After Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mansour Rezaei

Abbasali Dehghani

Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/mphrj.2026.587071.1102

Abstract

Introduction: Laparoscopic hysterectomy is widely performed due to its minimally invasive nature and faster recovery compared with open surgery; however, acute postoperative pain remains a common clinical challenge that may affect recovery and patient satisfaction. Various patient-related factors may influence pain perception. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between age and the incidence of acute postoperative pain following laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Material and methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in 2025 at hospitals affiliated with Tabriz University of Medical Sciences and included 73 patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy, with sample size determined using the single proportion prevalence formula. Variables assessed included age, BMI, comorbidities, surgical duration, anesthesia type, and acute postoperative pain severity measured by the Visual Analog Scale within 24 hours after surgery.

Results: Postoperative pain was common, with a mean VAS score of 4.28 ± 1.86 and an incidence of 76.71%. Moderate pain was most frequent, and younger patients reported significantly higher pain levels, while pain decreased progressively with age (ANOVA p = 0.018). Age showed a strong negative correlation with VAS scores (r = −0.711, p = 0.001), indicating markedly lower pain intensity in older patients.

Conclusion: Age demonstrated a clear inverse relationship with acute postoperative pain following laparoscopic hysterectomy, with younger patients reporting higher pain intensity and greater analgesic needs. These findings highlight the importance of age responsive pain management protocols to ensure individualized postoperative care and optimized recovery outcomes.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

postoperative pain

age

laparoscopic hysterectomy

VAS score

Subjects

Cancer

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