ANTIEMETIC PROPHYLAXIS FOR STRABISMUS SURGERY

Droperidol can reduce the high incidence of vomiting after pediatric s trabismus surgery; however, its use may be associated with sedation, d elayed hospital discharge, dysphoria and extrapyramidal signs. Midazol am, a short-acting benzodiazepine with antiemetic properties, has few side effects and may be a suitable alternative. We prospectively compa red the antiemetic effect of these two drugs in 393 healthy children a ged 18 months to 14 years undergoing outpatient strabismus surgery. Th e children were randomly assigned to receive midazolam hydrochloride ( 50 mug/kg) (199 patients) or droperidol (50 mug/kg) (194 children). Th e incidence rates of vomiting in the two groups were 45% and 37% respe ctively, a nonsignificant difference. The incidence of vomiting was no t affected by the duration of anesthesia, but the number of muscles re paired was a significant predictor of postoperative vomiting (p < 0.00 1).