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Comparative study of dexamethasone and ondansetron for prophylaxis of postoperative nausea and vomiting in laparoscopic gynecologic surgery
Author(s) -
D'souza Nita,
Swami Mohan,
Bhagwat Shama
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2010.11.022
Subject(s) - ondansetron , medicine , dexamethasone , postoperative nausea and vomiting , antiemetic , anesthesia , nausea , vomiting , incidence (geometry) , surgery , physics , optics
Objective To compare intravenous dexamethasone and ondansetron for the prophylaxis of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), a main complaint that affects almost 40%–75% of patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecologic surgery. Methods In a prospective study, 93 women were divided into 3 groups receiving 4 mg of dexamethasone, 8 mg of dexamethasone, or 4 mg of ondansetron. PONV score was used for assessment during the first 24 hours after surgery. Results The incidence of PONV during the 24‐hour postoperative period was highest in the ondansetron group (61%). In the first 3 hours, the incidence of PONV in the ondansetron group was also higher: 51.6% as compared with 22.6% and 36.6% in the dexamethasone 4 mg and 8 mg groups, respectively. The overall incidence of PONV was highest in the first 3 hours as compared with later time periods, and there was a linear trend in decreasing PONV among the groups ( P = 0.017). In the dexamethasone 4 mg group, the request for a rescue antiemetic was significantly lower: 0% as compared with 6.7% and 16.1% in the dexamethasone 8 mg and ondansetron 4 mg groups, respectively. Conclusion Dexamethasone was found to be an efficacious and cost‐effective drug for the prophylaxis of PONV.