Nitrous oxide makes me sick: or does it? Nitrous oxide and postoperative nausea and vomiting.
This article evaluates whether avoidance of nitrous oxide in general anaesthesia can improve clinical outcomes in surgical patients by reducing postoperative nausea and vomiting, and whether avoidance should become part of a routine clinical management strategy. Despite some controversy, the greatest strength of evidence suggests that avoidance of nitrous oxide may be justified as a pre-emptive perioperative strategy as part of a multimodal approach to postoperative nausea and vomiting, especially in those patients known to have a higher baseline risk.
Ewart
Luke
L
Operating Department Practice, Canterbury Christchurch University, Rowan Williams Court, 30 Pembroke Court, Chatham Maritime, ME4 4UF. luke.ewart@canterbury.ac.uk
D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018579:Patient Selection; D020250:Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D009609:Nitrous Oxide