Effectiveness of ginger for prevention of nausea and vomiting after gynecological laparoscopy.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effectiveness of ginger for prevention of nausea and vomiting after gynecological laparoscopy.


METHODS
From July 2005 to October 2005, 60 inpatients who underwent laparoscopic operations for non-cancer gynecologic conditions at Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Medical College or Vajira Hospital were randomized into Group A (n = 30) or Group B (n = 30). Group A received 3 capsules of ginger (1 capsule contained 0.5 g of ginger powder) while Group B received 3 capsules of placebo. Both groups received their medicine 1 hour prior the operation. Nausea and vomiting were assessed with the Visual Analogue Scores (VAS) and presence of vomiting at 2 and 6 hours after the operation.


RESULTS
Median VAS at 2 hours post operation of Group A was not significantly different from that of Group B with the median of 0 (range, 0-5.4) and 0.15 (range, 0-10) respectively (95% CI from -2.59 to 0.90 and p = 0.142). At 6 hours post operation, the median VAS of Group A was significantly lower than group B, 0.55 (range, 0-7.4) versus 2.80 (range, 0-10) (95% CI from -3.61 to -0.73 and p = 0.015). Presence of vomiting at 2 hours was not different between the two groups, 10% in Group A and 20% in Group B (95% CI from -28% to 8% and p = 0.278). At 6 hours, 23.3% of group A had an episode of vomiting compared to 46.7% of group B (95% CI from -47% to 1% and p = 0.058).


CONCLUSIONS
Ginger has shown efficacy for prevention of nausea and borderline significance to prevention vomiting after gynecological laparoscopy at 6 hour post operation.
Apariman
Sirirat
S
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Medical College and Vajira Hospital, 681 Samsen Rd, Dusit, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Ratchanon
Sawinee
S
Wiriyasirivej
Budsaba
B
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000932:Antiemetics; D002214:Capsules; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D020939:Zingiber officinale; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D020250:Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000932:Antiemetics; D002214:Capsules