Postoperative nausea and vomiting

ABSTRACT

Postoperative nausea and vomiting have been associated with the use of nitrous oxide and, in some studies, with isoflurane. Sufentanil, a new synthetic narcotic with a duration as long as fentanyl, was studied with regard to postoperative nausea and vomiting. A total of 63 patients undergoing extra-abdominal procedures (excluding thoracotomies and intracranial, ophthalmologic, and middle-ear surgery) was studied and randomly divided into four groups: Group A, sufentanil/N₂O/O₂ with 0.25% isoflurane; Group B, O₂/N₂O/isoflurane; Group C, O₂/isoflurane/sufentanil; Group D, O₂/isoflurane. Patients with a history of postoperative nausea and vomiting were excluded. The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting was observed in the recovery room. The overall incidence of nausea was 25% and of vomiting 9.5%; differences between techniques were not statistically significant.