Granisetron/dexamethasone combination for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Dexamethasone decreases chemotherapy-induced emesis when added to an antiem etic regimen. This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of granise tron/dexamethasone combination for preventing postoperative nausea and vomi ting (PONV) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). In a prospective, rand omized, double-blind manner, 120 patients (83 females), aged 25-65 years, w ere assigned toreceive granisetron 40 mu g kg(-1) alone or granisetron 40 m u g kg(-1) plus dexamethasone 8 mg (n=60 of each) intravenously immediately before the induction of anaesthesia. A standardized general anaesthetic pr ocedure and postoperative analgesia were used. A complete response, defined as no PONV and no need for another rescue antiemetic, during 0-3 h after a naesthesia was 83% with granisetron and 98% with granisetron plus dexametha sone, respectively (P=0.008); the corresponding incidence during 3-24 h aft er anaesthesia was83% and 98% (P=0.008). No clinically important adverse ev ents were observed inany of the group. In conclusion, prophylactic therapy with granisetron/dexamethasone combination is more effective than granisetr on alone for the preventionof PONV after LC.