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analcaynal t1_j9u37po wrote

Reply to comment by djublonskopf in After a surgery, what happens to the air that was inside the incision? by cimmic

Just had my tubes tied via laparoscopic surgery. The gas makes your shoulders hurt.

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619364290163 t1_j9u5gm0 wrote

That is due to irritation of the diaphragm caused by the CO2 and expansion of the intra-abdominal cavity. Should decrease in a few days time!

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theluckyfrog t1_j9wnslx wrote

After my first laparoscopic abdominal surgery, the only pain was from the single longer incision that they pulled stuff out of. After my second laparoscopic abdominal surgery, the only pain was the CO2 shoulder pain. After my third laparoscopic abdominal surgery, there was no pain at all. Weird how even the same body can have such different repeat results.

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619364290163 t1_j9xyzd1 wrote

(Was asleep therefor a bit late of a response) That can also be due to the pressure used to inflate the abdomen. different levels of pressure are used to inflate the abdomen depending on where to operate and what to do (I.e. more pressure thus more expansion (and possible pain) can be required if you have to manoeuvre around a big cyst and less can be used to clip someone’s tubes. But it also depends ik how the internal organs and peritoneum (inner lining of the abdomen) are manipulated

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theluckyfrog t1_j9yes1a wrote

Well, in order I had a small bowel resection, a total colectomy w/ ostomy, and a relocation of said ostomy w/ a proctectomy and a separate small bowel resection. Thankfully, I did not need the big abdominal incision I was afraid of having for the procectomy--they did everything through the anal incision. I know they did some local anaesthesia to the abdomen with that last surgery but I was still shocked that neither it nor my previous ostomy hurt ANY. I assume all the credit goes to the continued advancement of surgery techniques--each of my surgeries was 8-10 years apart.

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bdhubbard t1_j9w1l6y wrote

Common complaint from my laparoscopic patients. C02 gets trapped above the liver and irritates the diaphragm which shares some nerves with the shoulder/arm. More common on the right because the liver is there to trap some of the excess gas. The pain usually goes away in 24-48 hours.

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Lynxieee t1_j9xry1z wrote

that's super interesting. I punctured a lung once and when I came to I was 100% sure something had broke in my shoulder as the pain was super intense from all the air suddenly outside of the lung. Meanwhile my sternum was actually broken and didn't hurt anywhere near as much.

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CATHYINCANADA t1_j9x3aof wrote

That was expected by me. Like muscle pain that you can't do anything about.

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