A continuing postoperative complication: nausea and vomiting--who is affected, why, and what are the contributing factors? A review.

Outpatient surgery has become increasingly popular. Technical advances in both surgery and anesthesia have made the practice of ambulatory surgery safe and attractive. However, vomiting remains one of the most common postoperative complications. The valid patient complaint of postoperative nausea and vomiting has been shown to significantly delay discharge from the recovery area after ambulatory surgery. This article reviews the numerous factors that have been identified as fostering the postoperative complication of nausea and vomiting.