PROPOFOL INFUSION AND THE INCIDENCE OF EMESIS IN PEDIATRIC OUTPATIENTSTRABISMUS SURGERY

A prospective, randomized, double-blind study was conducted to examine the effect of a propofol infusion on the incidence of postoperative e mesis in children undergoing outpatient strabismus surgery. Seventy-ei ght children, aged 3-12 yr, were allocated randomly to receive either nitrous oxide and halothane or nitrous oxide and a propofol infusion f or the maintenance of anesthesia. The overall incidence of vomiting du ring the first 24 h was 64% in those receiving halothane and 41% in th ose receiving the propofol infusion; this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In children who received no opioids postopera tively, the incidence of vomiting in the first 24 h was 71% in the hal othane group and 24% in the propofol group; this difference was also s ignificant (P = 0.001). We conclude that propofol was effective in red ucing the incidence of postoperative emesis in pediatric outpatient st rabismus surgery.