Korean J Anesthesiol.  2013 Aug;65(2):142-146. 10.4097/kjae.2013.65.2.142.

The impact of remifentanil on incidence and severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting in a university hospital-based ambulatory surgery center: a retrospective observation study

• Hara R
• Hirota K
• Sato M
• Tanabe H
• Yazawa T
• Habara T
• Fukuda K

• KMID: 2031256
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2013.65.2.142

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Ambulatory surgery, including short-stay surgery, has become a common choice in clinical practice. For the success of ambulatory surgery, perioperative care with safe and effective anesthesia and postoperative analgesia, which can reduce the occurrence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), is essential. The effect of remifentanil on the occurrence and severity of PONV has not been thoroughly examined, particularly, in an ambulatory surgery setting. Here, we investigate whether remifentanil influences the occurrence and severity of PONV in a university hospital-based ambulatory unit.
METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed a total of 1,765 cases of patients who had undergone general anesthesia at our ambulatory surgery unit. Parameters, such as occurrence and severity of nausea, vomiting or retching, use of antiemetic drugs, amount of postoperative analgesic and patient satisfaction, were extracted from the records and analyzed between the groups that received and not received remifentanil.
RESULTS
Within 565 patients of the RF group, 39 patients (6.6%) experienced nausea, 7 patients (1.2%) experienced vomiting or retching, and 10 patients (1.8%) were given antiemetic; in addition, the maximum VAS value for nausea was 12.1 mm. In 1,200 patients of the non RF group, 102 patients (8.5%) experienced nausea, 19 patients (1.6%) experienced vomiting or retching, and 34 patients (2.8%) were given antiemetic, and the maximum VAS value was 13.2 mm. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that remifentanil did not increase the occurrence of PONV in patients within the ambulatory surgery unit.

Keyword

Ambulatory surgery; Postoperative nausea and vomiting; Remifentanil

MeSH Terms

Ambulatory Surgical Procedures
Analgesia
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, General
Antiemetics
Humans
Incidence
Nausea
Patient Satisfaction
Perioperative Care
Piperidines
Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
Retrospective Studies
Vomiting
Antiemetics
Piperidines