BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the prophylactic effects of dexamethasone plus ginger and dexamethasone alone on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing thyroidectomy. METHODS:One hundred and twenty patients undergoing general anaesthesia for thyroidectomy were enrolled in this randomised, double-blind study. Patients received oral diazepam 10mg with either oral placebo (group I) or 0.5g of ginger (group II) as premedication 1 hour prior to surgery. Standard general anaesthetic techniques and postoperative analgesia were employed. Both group I and group II received intravenous dexamethasone 150 microg/kg immediately before the induction of anaesthesia. Data were recorded over a 24-hour observation period after surgery. RESULTS: In the dexamethasone-treated group, 14 patients experienced nausea, two patients retched, three patients vomited once, two patients vomited repeatedly, and 14 patients required a rescue antiemetic. In the dexamethasone-plus-ginger-treated group, 12 patients experienced nausea, one patient retched, four patients vomited once, no patients vomited repeatedly, and 13 patients required a rescue antiemetic. Dexamethasone plus ginger did not significantly reduce nausea and vomiting compared with dexamethasone alone during the observation period. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the prophylactic combination of antiemetic treatment with dexamethasone and ginger was not clinically or statistically superior to dexamethasone alone in preventing PONV in patients undergoing thyroidectomy.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the prophylactic effects of dexamethasone plus ginger and dexamethasone alone on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing thyroidectomy. METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients undergoing general anaesthesia for thyroidectomy were enrolled in this randomised, double-blind study. Patients received oral diazepam 10mg with either oral placebo (group I) or 0.5g of ginger (group II) as premedication 1 hour prior to surgery. Standard general anaesthetic techniques and postoperative analgesia were employed. Both group I and group II received intravenous dexamethasone 150 microg/kg immediately before the induction of anaesthesia. Data were recorded over a 24-hour observation period after surgery. RESULTS: In the dexamethasone-treated group, 14 patients experienced nausea, two patients retched, three patients vomited once, two patients vomited repeatedly, and 14 patients required a rescue antiemetic. In the dexamethasone-plus-ginger-treated group, 12 patients experienced nausea, one patient retched, four patients vomited once, no patients vomited repeatedly, and 13 patients required a rescue antiemetic. Dexamethasone plus ginger did not significantly reduce nausea and vomiting compared with dexamethasone alone during the observation period. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the prophylactic combination of antiemetic treatment with dexamethasone and ginger was not clinically or statistically superior to dexamethasone alone in preventing PONV in patients undergoing thyroidectomy.
Authors: Leopold H J Eberhart; Roswitha Mayer; Oliver Betz; Stergios Tsolakidis; Wolfgang Hilpert; Astrid M Morin; Götz Geldner; Hinnerk Wulf; Wulf Seeling Journal: Anesth Analg Date: 2003-04 Impact factor: 5.108