Study of nausea and vomiting accompanying intravenous patient-controlled analgesia with fentanyl after cervical spine surgery
Okamura, K.; Sanuki, M.; Kinoshita, H.; Fujii, K.; Matsunaga, A.
Masui. Japanese Journal of Anesthesiology 52(11): 1181-1185
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-4892 PMID: 14661562 Document Number: 557535
Background: Serious side effects of postoperative analgesia with opioid drugs include nausea and vomiting. Methods: We investigated the effects of various factors (patient background, anesthesia duration, and intraoperative drug use) on the frequency and degree of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) during the first 24 hours of intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with fentanyl. Results: PONV occurred in 34% of the male patients and 68% of the female, and in 31% and 58% of smokers and non-smokers, respectively. Conclusions: Consideration should be given to gender and smoking status prior to starting preventive antiemetic therapy using PCA with fentanyl following cervical spine surgery.