The prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting using a combination of ondansetron and droperidol.
We have studied the effect of combination antiemetic therapy (ondansetron and droperidol) with morphine delivered by patient-controlled analgesia following major gynaecological surgery. Sixty patients were randomly allocated to one of three treatment regimens; ondansetron alone (4 mg bolus and 0.13 mg.ml-1 in the morphine solution), droperidol alone (1.25 mg bolus and 0.05 mg.ml-1 in the morphine solution), or both drugs in combination. For the first 12 postoperative hours, patients receiving combination therapy experienced significantly less nausea than those receiving single antiemetic therapy (p < 0.001). There was no difference between the regimens from 12 to 18 h. We conclude that a combination of ondansetron and droperidol added to morphine in a patient-controlled analgesia system reduces postoperative nausea to a greater extent than treatment with either drug alone following major gynaecological surgery.
Wrench
I J
IJ
University Department of Anaesthesia, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham.
Ward
J E
JE
Walder
A D
AD
Hobbs
G J
GJ
D000328:Adult; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004329:Droperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009325:Nausea / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors; D014839:Vomiting / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000932:Antiemetics; D017294:Ondansetron; D009020:Morphine; D004329:Droperidol