Relationship Between Pain Catastrophizing and Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Patients

This study is designed as a prospective, cross-sectional, and observational study. The Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) is a well-established self-report instrument developed to assess catastrophic thinking related to pain. It evaluates how individuals perceive and respond to pain, focusing on tendencies such as rumination, magnification, and feelings of helplessness. Evidence suggests that PCS is a strong predictor of pain intensity, independent of anxiety levels. In this study, the validated Turkish version of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale will be used. Postoperative nausea, vomiting, and retching are common adverse events that can complicate recovery from anesthesia. Patients often perceive these symptoms as more distressing than postoperative pain, and they represent important outcomes affecting patient satisfaction and recovery. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between pain perception during intravenous (IV) cannulation, pain catastrophizing levels, and postoperative nausea and vomiting. By evaluating numeric pain scores during IV access alongside PCS scores, this study seeks to explore whether preoperative pain perception and psychological factors are associated with the frequency of postoperative nausea and vomiting. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to a better understanding of the role of psychological factors in postoperative symptoms and may help improve anesthesia practices by supporting more individualized, patient-centered perioperative care.