Antiemetic efficacy of ondansetron after outpatient laparoscopy.
The safety and efficacy of ondansetron were evaluated for the treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic surgical procedures. Seventy-one healthy, consenting outpatients were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups according to a double-blind, placebo-controlled protocol. A standardized anesthetic technique consisting of alfentanil-thiopental-succinylcholine for induction and alfentanil-nitrous oxide-succinylcholine for maintenance of anesthesia was used. Patients in whom postoperative nausea and/or vomiting developed and persisted for greater than or equal to 10 min received equivolemic intravenous injections of either ondansetron (8 mg) or saline (placebo) over a 2-5 min period. Ondansetron significantly decreased the posttreatment nausea scores (vs placebo) without increasing sedation or producing changes in cardiorespiratory parameters. In the placebo-treated group, 92% of the patients experienced subsequent episodes of vomiting in the postanesthesia care unit compared with 51% of the patients in the ondansetron group. Finally, only 43% of the ondansetron-treated patients required a "rescue" antiemetic compared with 86% in the placebo group. Thus, ondansetron (8 mg IV) was associated with a decreased incidence of nausea and vomiting after outpatient laparoscopic procedures.
Bodner
M
M
Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110.
White
P F
PF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017294:Ondansetron; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014839:Vomiting / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000932:Antiemetics; D007093:Imidazoles; D017294:Ondansetron