Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2005 Apr;48(4):435-438.

Effects of Intravenous Dexamethasone during Mastoidectomy on Postoperative Dizziness, Nausea, and Pain

• Ahn JH
• Kim MR
• Kim KH

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Common complications after the operation of chronic otitis media are dizziness, postoperative nausea, and postoperative pain. Authors aimed to investigate whether the intravenous injection of dexamethasone during the operation of chronic otitis media can reduce these complications. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: With the approval of the institute's ethics committee, a total of 68 patients who had been diagnosed with chronic otitis media were included in the study. The patients in the dexamethasene group received 5mg of intravenous dexamethasone during canal wall-up mastoidectomy, and the patients in the placebo group received no additional injection except for Hartman solution. All patients requested to fill up the questionnaires about dizziness, postoperative pain, and postoperative nausea according to VAS (Visual analogue system) score at 3 hours, 6 hours and 24 hours after operation. RESULTS: No postoperative complications were found in both groups. There was significant improvement in dizziness and postoperative nausea 24 hours postoperatively in the dexamethasone group. But dexamethasone group failed to show significant difference regarding postoperative pain when compared with the placebo group. CONCLUSION: Intravenous dexamethasone injection during canal wall-up mastoidectomy appeared to have significant effects on reducing postoperative dizziness and postoperative nausea.

Keyword

Otitis media; Dexamethasone; Dizziness; Postoperative nausea; Pain; postoperative

MeSH Terms

Dexamethasone*
Dizziness*
Ethics Committees
Humans
Injections, Intravenous
Nausea*
Otitis Media
Pain, Postoperative
Postoperative Complications
Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
Surveys and Questionnaires
Dexamethasone