Shoulder pain is a common complaint following laparoscopic surgery. Though the specific mechanism is still not clear, two causes have been suggested: (1) direct irritation to the phrenic nerve due to the residual CO₂ pneumoperitoneum; (2) excessive traction of the triangular ligament and over stretching of the diaphragmatic fibers resulting in inflammation. The major risk factors of shoulder pain may be related to the operative position, pneumoperitoneum inflatable speed, operation time, surgical and personal factors. Therapeutic methods include: fully discharge of the residual CO₂, avoiding the damage to diaphragm, the application of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and phrenic nerve block. However, all these methods have various shortages and complications. So, further research and efforts are needed to clarify the mechanism and develop a simple and reliable treatment of postoperative shoulder pain after laparoscopic surgery.