Objective: To evaluate pulmonary function after open subcostal cholecystectomy under action of morphine in the immediate postoperative period.
Methods: This was a prospective study in which the postoperative spirometric studies of fifteen patients who underwent open subcostal cholecystectomies received peridural morphine anesthesia. Preoperative and postoperative data were compared using a paired student-t test. Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.
Results: Significant differences were shown for the Forced Vital Capacity variable (p = 0.007) and Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (p = 0.008) comparing the preoperative and immediate postoperative period, indicating restrictive ventilatory disturbances. All patients presented normal spirometric studies in the third postoperative day.
Conclusion: Even under action of morphine peridural analgesia, in the immediate postoperative period, light restrictive post-cholecystectomy ventilatory disturbances were observed. However, it was observed a fast recovery after morphine peridural analgesia for pulmonary function, which may lower postoperative pulmonary morbidity.