Anesth Pain Med.  2008 Oct;3(4):250-254.

The effect of methods of ondansetron administration on nausea and vomiting during intravenous patient-controlled analgesia in pediatric patients undergoing pectus excavatum repair

• Shin YS
• Kim JH
• Baek SM
• Lee YS
• Kim WY
• Chang MS
• Park YC

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Postoperative nausea and vomiting remain troublesome problems, especially in pediatric patients receiving the opioid analgesics. This study was designed to evaluate the difference between bolus injection and continuous infusion of ondansetron for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in pediatric patients with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA).
METHODS
Sixty patients undergoing pectus excavatum repair were randomly assigned into three groups, no antiemetic (Group 1, n = 20), intraoperative ondansetron 0.1 mg/kg IV bolus (Group 2, n = 20), ondansetron 0.1 mg/kg mixed with IV-PCA (Group 3, n = 20). The incidence of nausea, vomiting, the need for rescue antiemetics, side effects and pain score were recorded for 48 hr postoperatively.
RESULTS
The incidence of nausea in Group 2 (20%) and Group 3 (25%) was significantly lower than Group 1 (60%). There was no significant difference in the incidence of vomiting among the groups (Group 1:60%, Group 2:20%, Group 3:20%). The need for rescue antiemetics was significantly lower in Group 2 and 3 than Group 1.
CONCLUSIONS
In pediatric patients undergoing pectus excavatum repair, bolus injection and continuous infusion of ondansetron were effective in preventing postoperative nausea during IV-PCA. And the need for rescue antiemetics was significantly decreased.

Keyword

intravenous patient-controlled analgesia; nausea and vomiting; ondansetron; pectus excavatum

MeSH Terms

Analgesia, Patient-Controlled
Analgesics, Opioid
Antiemetics
Funnel Chest
Humans
Incidence
Nausea
Ondansetron
Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
Vomiting
Analgesics, Opioid
Antiemetics
Ondansetron