LACK OF EFFICACY OF PROPOFOL IN THE TREATMENT OF EARLY POSTOPERATIVE NAUSEA AND VOMITING

The anti-nauseant efficacy of low-dose propofol was investigated in a blinded, randomized trial. Patients who complained of nausea and/or vo miting following laparoscopic gynaecological surgery and who requested antiemetic were randomly assigned to receive placebo, propofol 3 mg, propofol 9 mg or propofol 27 mg by intravenous injection. Nausea, vomi ting and sedation were recorded by a blinded observer for 90 minutes f ollowing administration of the test drug, prior to discharge, and 24 h ours following surgery. Rescue antiemetic (droperidol 1.0 mg IV) was a vailable from 10 minutes after administration of test drug. Propofol f ailed to reduce nausea scores and dod not reduce the incidence of vomi ting. Numbers of patients receiving rescue antiemetic were similar in the four treatment groups. In the first 10 minutes following test drug administration, sedation scores were increased by propofol in a dose- related manner: We conclude that, in the dose range studied, propofol is ineffective for the treatment of nausea and vomiting occurring soon after laparoscopic gynaecological surgery.