Comparison of Azasetron and Ondansetron for Preventing Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting in Patients Undergoing Gynecological Laparoscopic Surgery

PURPOSE: We compared the prophylactic effects of intravenously administered azasetron (10 mg) and ondansetron (8 mg) on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing gynecological laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 98 ASA physical status I or II 20-65 years old, female patients, in this prospective, randomized, double blind study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups and received ondansetron 8 mg (group O) or azasetron 10 mg (group A) 5 min before the end of surgery. The incidence of PONV, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain, need for rescue antiemetic and analgesics, and adverse effects were checked at 1, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h postoperatively. RESULTS: The overall incidence of PONV was 65% in group O and 49% in group A. The incidence of PONV was significantly higher in group O than in group A at 12-24 h postoperatively (nausea; 24% vs. 45%, p = 0.035, vomiting; 2% vs. 18%, p = 0.008), but there were no significant differences at 0-1, 1-6, 6-12 or 24-48 h. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, azasetron (10 mg) produced same incidence of PONV as ondansetron (8 mg) in patients undergoing general anesthesia for gynecological laparoscopic surgery. Azasetron was more effective, in the intermediate post-operative period, between 12 and 24 h.

Student Cognition before and after Introduction of a 'Patient-Doctor-Society' Course / 한국의학교육

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate cognitive changes in medical students before and after introduction of a 'Patient-Doctor-Society' course into the curriculum of a medical school. METHODS: Self-questionnaires that evalutated medical student congnition in the areas of medical humanities and sociology were answered by graduates-to-be who had experienced a new or previously implemented curriculum. The questionnaires included 28 questions using seven Likert scales. Student t-test was used to compare the scores between students who were educated using the new or old curriculum. RESULTS: In 405 medical students, 349 (86%) answered the questionnaires. For nine (32%) questions, students who partook of the new curriculum had higher scores than those in the older curriculum, and in 19 (68%) questions, there was no statistically significant difference. The questions that revealed differences between the groups were related to professionalism, care, personal and social communication, and ethics. CONCLUSION: Introduction of the 'Patient-Doctor-Society' course into the curriculum of a medical school was associated with cognitives change in medical students with regard to medical humanities and sociology.