ONDANSETRON VERSUS DROPERIDOL OR PLACEBO TO PREVENT NAUSEA AND VOMITING AFTER OTOLOGIC SURGERY

This study compares the preoperative administration of ondansetron wit h that of droperidol or saline solution for the prevention of nausea a nd vomiting in otologic surgery patients. A total of 120 otherwise hea lthy individuals were randomly assigned to receive either saline solut ion, ondansetron (4 mg intravenously), or droperidol (25 mu g/kg intra venously) before anesthetic induction. Intraoperative and postanesthes ia care unit times were recorded along with incidence of nausea, vomit ing, pain, nausea and recovery scores, and the administration of rescu e antiemetics. Similar assessments were made during the next 24 hours. Demographics were similar, but more males received ondansetron, Anest hetic recovery scores were lower after administration of droperidol th an after ondansetron, Incidence of nausea was similar between groups, but severity was greater with placebo and droperidol than with ondanse tron, More vomiting occurred with placebo than with ondansetron or dro peridol, No intergroup differences in rescue antiemetic administration were noted, however. Twenty-four hours later, more patients receiving placebo had nausea or vomited than patients receiving droperidol or o ndansetron. Fewer women in the ondansetron group vomited than in the o ther two groups. Ondansetron 4 mg intravenously is as effective as dro peridol and better than saline solution in preventing nausea and vomit ing in patients undergoing otologic surgery. No cost advantage as dete rmined by lower use of rescue antiemetics or shorter postanesthesia ca re unit times was noted after ondansetron therapy.