Role of Prophylactic Dimenhydrinate Versus Ondansetron as an Adjunct to Dexamethasone on Post-Operative Nausea and Vomiting in Laparoscopic Abdominal Procedures

Post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common complication in patients undergoing surgery. Anti-emetic prophylaxis is recommended for all high risk patients. Combination therapy is considered superior to single dose prophylaxis however its efficacy in varied laparoscopic abdominal surgical situations has not been investigated.Aims & Objectives: To compare the post-operative nausea and vomiting with Dimenhydrinate plus Dexamethasone versus Ondansetron plus Dexamethasone in patients following laparoscopic abdominal procedures.Place and duration of study: Operation Theatre, Shaikh Zayed Hospital Lahore, for one year (1st April 2015 – 31st March 2016).Material & Methods: 464 patients were placed in two groups of 232 each. Group A received prophylaxis with Dexamethasone 8 mg I/V + Dimenhydrinate 50mg I/V and Group B received prophylaxis with Dexamethasone 8 mg I/V + Ondansetron 4 mg I/V. Efficacy was judged with absence of nausea and vomiting in first 24 hours after surgery. Data was analyzed in SPSS version 27.Results: The frequency of nausea was 6% with Dimenhydrinate while was 9% with ondansetron. Similarly, vomiting was 18% vs. 24% respectively. The efficacy of Dimenhydrinate was 88% while and Ondansetron achieved efficacy in 65% cases, which was statistically significant (p<0.05).Conclusion: The combination Dexamethasone & Dimenhydrinate was more efficacious in preventing PONV than the combination Dexamethasone & Ondansetron