Does 80% of oxygen reduce the incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting?

To test the efficacy of supplemental 80% oxygen administration in reducing the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting [PONV] after ambulatory gynaecologic laparoscopy. This study was conducted at Al-Wahda Teaching Hospital. One hundred patients were given general anesthesia for ambulatory gynecological surgery. They were divided in to two groups. Group A was administered routine 30% oxygen, and group B was supplemented with 80% oxygen. Evaluation of the two groups in the recovery room and the female surgical ward 24 hours postoperatively revealed the presence of nausea and vomiting. The incidence of PONV was 60% after 30% oxygen administration, and 30% after 80% oxygen administration during the first 24 hours after ambulatory surgery. A day or 24 hours after surgery the patients elucidated more nausea and vomiting. Group A 62% and group B 55%. Antiemetic drugs was given to 27% of patients in group B. Supplemental 80% oxygen did not prevent PONV in patients undergoing ambulatory gynaecologic laparoscopy.

Spinal block complications in obstetrics and gynecology patients

To determine spinal complications during and after surgery in obstetrics and gynecological patients. We conducted a descriptive study in Al-Wahda and Aden Teaching Hospitals in Aden, Yemen from March 2004 to March 2005. One hundred and fifty obstetrics and gynecological patients were enrolled. Before and during surgery, pulse and blood pressure was monitored, and patients were observed for any complications of spinal anesthesia, for example, hypotension, nausea, vomiting, shivering, and total spinal block. Post operatively, the patients were followed to identify post-spinal headache, urine retention, neuralgia, back pain, and respiratory failure. Results of complications were related by applying statistical test. Hypotension during surgery was established at a very high percentage of 82%. This could be due to lack of preloading of the patients before spinal block. Vomiting was 61%, nausea 56%, shivering 30%, and total spinal anesthesia 2%. Post operatively, 77.3% patients had post spinal headache, which lasted 4 days, compared with patients who had been applied with non-cutting disposable needles. Urine retention was 38.7%, while back pain and neuralgia was 21.3% each, and respiratory failure was 1.3%. Hypotension was traced in a very high percentage of cases due to unawareness and ignorance of pre-anesthetic intravenous fluid loading by concerned staff. Post spinal headache was the second most common complication due to the usage of large, cutting, non-disposable needles