Olanzapine for the Prevention of Postdischarge Nausea and Vomiting after Ambulatory Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Postdischarge nausea and vomiting after ambulatory surgery is a common problem that is not adequately addressed in current practice. This prospective, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study was designed to test the hypothesis that oral olanzapine is superior to placebo at preventing postdischarge nausea and vomiting. METHODS: In a single-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, the authors compared a single preoperative dose of olanzapine 10 mg to placebo, in adult female patients 50 years old or less, undergoing ambulatory gynecologic or plastic surgery with general anesthesia. All patients received standard antiemetic prophylaxis with dexamethasone and ondansetron. The primary composite outcome was nausea and/or vomiting in the 24 h after discharge. Secondary outcomes included severe nausea, vomiting, and side effects. RESULTS: A total of 140 patients were randomized and evaluable. The primary outcome occurred in 26 of 69 patients (38%) in the placebo group and in 10 of 71 patients (14%) in the olanzapine group (relative risk, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.72; P = 0.003). Severe nausea occurred in 14 patients (20%) in the placebo group and 4 patients (6%) in the olanzapine group (relative risk, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.10 to 0.80). Vomiting occurred in eight patients (12%) in the placebo group and two patients (3%) in the olanzapine group (relative risk, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.05 to 1.10). The median score for sedation (scale 0 to 10, with 10 being highest) in the 24 h after discharge was 4 (interquartile range, 2 to 7) in the placebo group and 6 (interquartile range, 3 to 8) in the olanzapine group (P = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: When combined with ondansetron and dexamethasone, the addition of olanzapine relative to placebo decreased the risk of nausea and/or vomiting in the 24 hafter discharge from ambulatory surgery by about 60% with a slight increase in reported sedation.

Use of Paracervical Block Before Laparoscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Some patients who undergo laparoscopic hysterectomy request overnight admission for pain management, thus increasing costs for a surgery that is safe for same-day discharge. We wanted to evaluate whether a paracervical block of bupivacaine with epinephrine before laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy would decrease overnight admission rates, postoperative pain, and pain medication requirement. METHODS: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial (Canadian Task Force classification I) at an academic medical center. Patients undergoing laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy were randomized to a 20-mL paracervical injection of either 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine or 20 mL normal saline before skin incision. All providers, except the circulating nurse, were blinded. The primary outcome was overnight hospital admission rate. Secondary outcomes included postoperative pain medication use and pain scores. Analysis included t test, χ2, Wilcoxon, and ANOVA. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-two patients were enrolled-68 in the treatment group and 64 in the placebo group. Demographics were similar between groups. The unplanned overnight admission rate was 34% for the treatment group and 27% for the placebo group (P = .25). After discharge, the treatment group used on average 8.5 tablets of narcotics, whereas the placebo group used 11.7 tablets (P = .07). The treatment group took 13.1 tablets of nonnarcotic analgesics compared to 11.2 in the placebo group (P = .57). Both groups reported similar pain scores. CONCLUSION: Paracervical block with bupivacaine and epinephrine before laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy did not decrease overnight admission rate or affect postoperative pain. Postoperative opiate use was minimally decreased.

Randomized controlled double-blind trial of transversus abdominis plane block versus trocar site infiltration in gynecologic laparoscopy.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to determine whether transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block reduces postoperative pain when compared with trocar site infiltration of bupivacaine in gynecological laparoscopy. STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective, randomized, double-blinded clinical trial using patients as their own controls. Women undergoing gynecologic laparoscopy using a 4-port symmetrical technique were randomly assigned to right- or left-sided TAP block using 30 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine. Two cohorts of patients were studied. Cohort 1 consisted of anesthesiologist-administered ultrasound-guided TAP block. Cohort 2 consisted of surgeon-administered laparoscopic-guided TAP block. In both cohorts, contralateral port sites were infiltrated with an equal amount of bupivacaine in divided doses. All patients received intraoperative acetaminophen and ketorolac. Postoperative abdominal pain was assessed at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, and 48 hours on the block and contralateral sides, before and after palpation, using the 10 point visual analog scale. A 2 point difference in the reported pain scores was considered clinically meaningful. RESULTS: Eighty-eight patients were eligible for statistical analysis: 45 and 43 patients in cohorts 1 and 2, respectively. In both cohorts, most patients reported equal pain on the block side and local side. In cohort 1, there was a statistically significant difference in mean reported pain scores at 2 hours and across time favoring the ultrasound-guided block; however, this did not reach clinical significance. There was no statistically significant difference found at all other time points or when pain scores were objectively assessed after palpation of the incisions. When comparing laparoscopic-guided block with local infiltration, there was no statistically significant difference in reported mean pain scores at all time points or after palpation. CONCLUSION: As part of this multimodal analgesic regimen, neither block method provided a significant clinical benefit compared with trocar site bupivacaine infiltration.