Comparison of droperidol 0.01 mg/kg and 0.005 mg/kg as a premedication in the prevention of nausea and vomiting in the outpatient for laparoscopy.

Patients undergoing outpatient laparoscopy and general anesthesia have a high incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting. It is essential that anesthesia techniques accommodate the special needs of these outpatients. Droperidol is an effective antiemetic but larger doses above 1-1.25 mg may cause unwanted side effects which may prolong recovery and discharge. The current trend is to decrease the dose of droperidol to prevent side effects while still retaining the antiemetic properties. This experimental study compares droperidol 0.010 mg/kg and 0.005 mg/kg as a premedication for the prevention of nausea and vomiting in 32 female outpatients undergoing laparoscopy and general anesthesia. The patients were randomized into two groups. Group I received droperidol 0.010 mg/kg and Group II received 0.005 mg/kg as a preoperative antiemetic in double-blind fashion. Both groups received the same anesthetic for induction and maintenance of anesthesia. The patients were observed in the postanesthesia room for the incidence of nausea and vomiting. They were transported to the outpatient department and were also observed for nausea and vomiting. The t-test was used to show that there were no significant differences between groups in population characteristics. Chi-square analysis was used to determine statistical significance in the incidence of nausea or vomiting between the two groups. Analysis showed there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of nausea or vomiting in the postanesthesia room or the outpatient department, although there was a significant clinical difference between the groups especially in the incidence of nausea in the outpatient department.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)