Nitrous oxide does not aggravate postoperative emesis after orthognathic surgery in female and nonsmoking patients.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplemental nitrous oxide on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after propofol anesthesia for orthognathic surgery in female and nonsmoking patients.


METHODS
We compared PONV in 28 ASA-I female nonsmoking patients undergoing orthognathic surgery. Anesthesia was induced with propofol combined with fentanyl, and tracheal intubation was facilitated with vecuronium. Anesthesia was maintained with propofol with or without nitrous oxide. No patient received neostigmine. PONV was assessed as score 0 (no PONV), score 1 (nausea), and score 2 (vomiting) during the 24-hour recovery period.


RESULTS
There were no differences in the patients' characteristics, operation, anesthesia and emergence time, fluid transfusion, blood loss, urine output, and total propofol and fentanyl doses between the 2 groups. There was also no difference in PONV score in 2 groups. Only 1 patient in each group vomited.


CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested that supplemental nitrous oxide does not aggravate PONV after propofol anesthesia for orthognathic surgery in female nonsmoking patients.
Ichinohe
Tatsuya
T
Department of Dental Anesthesiology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan. ichinohe@tdc.ac.jp
Kaneko
Yuzuru
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort / Q000379:methods*; D020250:Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015742:Propofol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D015742:Propofol