 Patients Between January 2007 and August 2008, 210 patients undergoing LC were studied in accordance with a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Patients were randomized to receive intravenous dexamethasone 8 mg or homologated placebo 60 minutes before skin incisions, using an equal number of blind envelopes. Patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists ASA classes III and IV were excluded. Further exclusion criteria were age more than 80 years; pregnancy; treatment with steroids; severe diabetes mellitus HbA1c 8; use of opioids, sedatives or any kind of analgesics less than one week before LC; a history of alcohol or drug abuse; preoperative diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis, choledocolithiasis, gallbladder carcinoma andor conversion of the LC to an open procedure. All patients were followed from hospital admission until 30 days after the surgical procedure. 