title: Bilateral superficial cervical plexus block reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting and early postoperative pain after thyroidectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and postoperative pain in thyroidectomy patients undergoing general anaesthesia, with or without bilateral superficial cervical plexus block (BSCPB).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study, adult patients scheduled for thyroid surgery under general anaesthesia were randomized to receive BSCPB with 20 ml 0.5% ropivacaine (ropivacaine group) or placebo (20 ml saline; saline group) before surgery. The incidence of PONV and postoperative pain, and the need for rescue antiemetics were assessed at 0-24 h postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 135 patients were evaluated and the incidence of PONV, the need for rescue antiemetics and the number of patients needing additional perioperative pain relief in the postanaesthetic care unit were significantly lower in the ropivacaine group compared with the saline group. Early postoperative (0-8 h) visual analogue scale pain scores were significantly lower in the ropivacaine group compared with the saline group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BSCPB with 0.5% ropivacaine administered before surgery can significantly reduce the incidence of PONV and early postoperative pain and also reduce perioperative opioid requirements in thyroidectomy patients undergoing general anaesthesia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, and Department of Pharmacology, Fujian Medical University, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: H-D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: C-Z
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: C-X
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: X-Z
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000577:Amides; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001340:Autonomic Nerve Block; D002572:Cervical Plexus; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005480:Flurbiprofen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D020250:Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000077212:Ropivacaine; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D000700:Analgesics; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000932:Antiemetics; D017294:Ondansetron; D005480:Flurbiprofen; D000077212:Ropivacaine