Comparison of ondansetron and droperidol in the prevention of nausea and vomiting after inpatient minor gynecologic surgery.

Ondansetron and droperidol are both effective in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). In this randomized, double-blind study, 80 inpatients scheduled for minor gynecologic surgery received either ondansetron 8 mg intravenously (i.v.) or droperidol 2.5 mg i.v. 5 min prior to induction of isoflurane-narcotic anesthesia. PONV was absent in 68% of the patients after ondansetron and in 88% after droperidol (P < 0.05). The respective times of complete arousal from anesthesia were 171 min and 229 min (P < 0.001). After ondansetron and droperidol, the incidence of severe drowsiness, restlessness, anxiety, or dizziness was 5% and 28%, respectively (P < 0.01). Thus after minor gynecologic surgery, droperidol 2.5 mg i.v. was superior to ondansetron 8 mg i.v. in the prevention of PONV. However, relative to ondansetron, droperidol entailed an average 1-h delay in recovery from anesthesia.