Comparative study of anti-emetics and their association, in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing gynecologic surgeries.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Prophylaxis of postoperative nausea and vomiting has been the subject of several studies. The objective of the present study was to compare anti-emetics, and their association, in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting. METHODS Seventy patients, ASA I and II, underwent epidural block associated with general anesthesia for gynecologic surgeries. Patients in the Metochlopramide Group (MG) received 20 mg of the drug; the Dexamethasone Group (DeG) received 8 mg; the Droperidol Group (DrG) received 1.25 mg; the Ondansetron Group (OG) received 8 mg; the Dexamethasone-Ondansetron Group (DeOG) received 8 mg and 4 mg, respectively; the Droperidol-Ondansetron Group (DrOG) received 1.25 mg and 4 mg, respectively; the Dexamethasone-Droperidol-Ondansetron Group (DeDrOG) received 8 mg, 0.625 mg, and 4 mg. The presence of nausea and vomiting was evaluated at 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours after the end of the surgery. RESULTS The total incidence of episodes of nausea per group is as follows: 4 in DeDrOG, 6 in OG, 6 in DrOG, 11 in DeG, 11 in DeOG, 18 in MG, and 22 in DrG. The Chi-square and Fisher exact tests indicated statistically significant differences between DrG and DeG, DOG, DrOG, DeOG, and DeDrOG; between MG and OG, DrOG, and DeDrOG; and between DeOG and DeDrOG. And the incidence of vomiting was: 3 in OG, 3 in DeDrOG, 6 in DrOG, 7 in DeG, 7 in DeOG, and 10 in DrG, and 13 in G. There was a statistically significant difference between DrG and OG and DeDrOG; and between MG and OG and DeDrOG. CONCLUSIONS The association dexamethasone-droperidol-ondansetron and ondansetron alone were more effective in the prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting.