The effects of the prophylactic tropisetron-propofol combination on postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing thyroidectomy under desflurane anesthesia.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacies of tropisetron and tropisetron-propofol combination in the prophylaxis for postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing thyroidectomy under desflurane anesthesia. (This combination has apparently not been previously investigated for this particular surgery and anesthesia.)

METHODS

Prospective, randomized, double-blind study. One hundred five patients aged between 19 and 68 years were included in the study. Group T received 5 mg of tropisetron (tropisetron group. n=35), group TP (tropisetron-propofol group, n=35) received 5 mg of tropisetron and 0.5 mg/kg of propofol and group P (placebo group, n=35) received saline, immediately after anesthesia induction. The anesthesia induction regimen was applied to all patients, and anesthesia was maintained with 5-7% desflurane and 66% N 2 O in O 2 .

RESULTS

Group TP reported a lower incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (17%) than those in groups T and P (42.8% and 77%, respectively). The postoperative antiemetic requirements were significantly higher in the placebo group compared to the other two groups (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The tropisetron-propofol combination is more effective than tropisetron alone in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting after thyroidectomy.