ANTIEMETIC EFFICACY OF ONDANSETRON WITH PATIENT-CONTROLLED ANALGESIA

A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study was performed to assess the antiemetic efficacy of ondansetron in women receiving morph ine from a patient-controlled analgesia system after total abdominal h ysterectomy. Sixty-six ASA grade I or 2 patients scheduled for total a bdominal hysterectomy were randomly allocated into one of two groups. All patients received a standardised anaesthetic and postoperative pat ient-controlled analgesia regimen. Group 1 received ondansetron 4 mg a t induction of anaesthesia, repeated 8 h later. Group 2 received salin e as a placebo at the same times. Pain scores, nausea scores, episodes of vomiting, use of rescue antiemetics and recollection of nausea and vomiting were not different between the groups. Only 15% of patients who received ondansetron and 30% of patients who received the placebo recorded no nausea or vomiting in the first 24 h. We conclude that ond ansetron, in the dose studied, does not reduce nausea and vomiting in women receiving morphine from a patient-controlled analgesia system af ter total abdominal hysterectomy.