Empirical data from controlled studies using standardized, reliable measures on the amount and quality of
pain after laparoscopic
tubal ligation and the consequences of this
pain on the
activities of daily living are extremely scarce. In a study of 54 women admitted to a
day-care unit for this procedure, validated measures were utilized to assess the incidence, intensity and duration of
pain after
tubal ligation (McGill
Pain Questionnaire) and the impact of
pain on the
activities of daily living (Modified Functional Assessment Inventory). Psychological measures (Brief Symptom Inventory, Kranz Health Opinion Survey, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) were employed to test their use as possible predictors for
pain,
analgesic usage and the time taken to resume a normal activity level after
tubal ligation surgery. The results showed that
pain is a significant problem after
tubal ligation although
pain rating scores over the 7-day study period were lower than those reported after major abdominal surgery. Eighty-five percent of our sample reported that
pain and/or
fatigue impacted on their recovery and contributed to an average delay of return to normal activity level of 4.4 days, not including the day of surgery. The psychological measures did not prove to be strong predictors of
postoperative pain, time of return to normal activity level or
analgesic usage. The most powerful predictor of return to normal activity was the total amount of
pain experienced, as measured by the McGill
Pain Questionnaire, during the 7 day post-operative period.