Efficacy of dexamethasone in the prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting during the postoperative period of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

OBJECTIVE To verify the efficacy of dexamethasone in the prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting in patients submitted to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS This was a systematic review of the literature through the MEDLINE, Embase, and LILACS databases. Only controlled and randomized clinical trials comparing dexamethasone to placebo in the prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting in patients submitted to laparoscopic cholecystectomy were included. RESULTS The results of this review were based on data from 12 controlled and randomized clinical trials, totaling 947 patients. The group of patients who received preoperative dexamethasone showed lower incidence of nausea (number needed to treat [NNT]=7), vomiting (NNT=7), and need for smaller doses of rescue antiemetics (NNT=6). CONCLUSION The preoperative infusion of 8 mg of dexamethasone decreases the risk of complications in the postoperative period for patients submitted to laparoscopic cholecystectomy.