Post operative nausea and vomiting in adult Nigerians.
BACKGROUND
This is a prospective study to determine the pattern of postoperative nausea and vomiting in a Nigerian adult population.


METHODS
348 consecutive patients were assessed prospectively for the incidence and risk factors of postoperative nausea and vomiting over a 6-month period. The exclusion criteria included inability to give consent, nausea or vomiting during the period 24 hours before surgery, raised intracranial pressure and patients who received an anti-emetic in the period 48 hours before surgery.


RESULTS
Patient's age ranged between 18 and 90 years. There were 213 females (61.2%) and 135 males (38.8%). The incidence of postoperative nausea was 32.2% and vomiting was 20.1%. The major risk factors identified were female gender, body mass index, general anaesthesia-inhalational technique, Ketamine induction, pancuronium, pain and movement of patients from the recovery room to surgical wards (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Nausea and vomiting was identified as a common postoperative complication with multifactoral aetiology. It is recommended that high risk patients should receive prophylactic antiemetics. Regional techniques should also be considered in such patients.
Olatosi
J O
JO
Department of Anaesthesia, College of Medicine University of Lagos, P.M.B. 12003 Lagos, Nigeria. tola-olatosi@yahoo.com
Kushimo
O T
OT
Okeke
C I
CI
Oriyomi
O O
OO
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044383:Black People; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D020250:Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult