INFLUENCE OF DROPERIDOL ON NAUSEA AND VOMITING DURING PATIENT-CONTROLLED ANALGESIA

We have studied the addition of droperidol to morphine during patient- controlled analgesia (PCA) in 57 patients using PCA after abdominal hy sterectomy Patients in group 1 (control group) received placebo at ind uction of anaesthesia and a PCA containing morphine, those in group 2 received droperidol 1.25 mg and a PCA containing morphine and those in group 3 droperidol and a PCA containing droperidol 0.05 mg mg(-1) of morphine. Patients in the control group suffered 51 episodes of nausea compared with 35 in the droperidol bolus group and 18 in the droperid ol PCA group (P < 0.01). in the droperidol PCA group, only 10 doses of additional antiemetic therapy were required compared with 24 in the d roperidol bolus group and 28 in the control group (P < 0.05). We did n ot observe side effects attributable to droperidol. We conclude that d roperidol added to morphine in PCA reduces nausea and antiemetic requi rements after abdominal hysterectomy