Javed Ahmad, Saleem Sabbar, Fawad Ahmed Khan, Zamir Ahmed.
Comparison between dexamethasone and placebo in preventing nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing laproscopic cholecyctectomy.
Pak J Surg Jan ;26(2):121-4.

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare between dexamethasone and placebo in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing laproscopic cholecystectomy. Study design: Interventional experimental study Place and duration of surgery: This study was conducted in Anaesthesia Department of Lyari General Hospital Karachi over a period of 6 months from October 2008 to March 2009. Patients and methods: In this study, sixty patients were equally divided into two groups. Group I (n=30) received 6 mg dexamethasone (2 ml) intravenously and group II (n=30) received normal saline 2 ml as placebo just before induction of anaesthesia. Th ere were no signifi cant diff erences in age, sex and weight of the patients. The comparison was made between group I and group II. All the patients were observed for any incidence of PONV for one hour in recovery area and subsequently PONV was assessed at 12th hour and 24th hour in wards. Result: Out of 60 patients there were 23 males and 37 females with male to female ratio of 1: 1.60. In group I the average age of the patients was 43.02+/-11.04 while in group II the average age was 42.16+/-10.08; the mean difference was not statistically signifi cant between groups ( P=0.73). Mean weight of the patients in group I was 64.64+/-10.16 and in group II was 60.46+/-12.62 (table 1). In recovery area 2 patients in group I and 8 patients in group II reported PONV. During 12 hours post operatively 7 patients in group I and 13 patients in group II experienced PONV. In next 12 hours 4 patients in group I and 6 patients in group II experienced PONV. Conclusion: Dexamethasone is effective in decreasing PONV when given pre operatively in patients undergoing laproscopic cholecystectomy.

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