To investigate the postoperative recovery of patients undergoing laparoscopic upper gastrointestinal perforation repair under different pneumoperitoneum pressures.

According to the principle of prospective study, 50 patients with upper gastrointestinal perforation who were admitted to Anqing Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University from June 2019 to June 2021 were selected and randomly divided into two groups: the observation group (24 cases, pneumoperitoneal pressure 8-12 mmHg, i.e. 1.064-1.596 kPa) and the control group (26 cases, pneumoperitoneum pressure 13-15 mmHg, i.e. 1.729-1.996 kPa). The patients in the two groups underwent laparoscopic exploration + ulcer perforation repair. The postoperative recovery process, complications, and the changes of inflammatory indexes (leukocyte count, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin) at one hour before operation and on the first and fourth day after operation were compared between the two groups.

Both groups successfully completed the operation, and there was no significant difference in operation time between the two groups. The postoperative anal recovery time, length of hospital stay, and total hospitalization expenses in the observation group were less than those in the control group (t=-3.006, -2.514, -7.012; all P<0.05); the incidence of postoperative complications in the observation group was lower than that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (χ²=2.427, P=0.119). There were no significant differences in inflammatory indexes between the two groups one hour before operation, but the indexes in the control group was significantly higher than those in the observation group on the first and fourth day after operation (all P<0.05).

During laparoscopic repair of upper gastrointestinal perforation, controlling the pneumoperitoneum pressure at 8-12 mmHg dose not affect the operation, which can reduce the impact on the recovery of gastrointestinal function and toxin absorption.