Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting have remained significant causes of morbidity in patients undergoing general anaesthesia for gynaecological laparoscopic procedures. Objectives: This study compared the severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting following gynaecological laparoscopic procedures after prophylaxis with metoclopramide and ondansetron. Methods: Sixty-six consenting patients aged 18-55 years undergoing day case gynaecological laparoscopic procedures were recruited and randomly allocated into two groups with each receiving either intravenous ondansetron 4mg or intravenous metoclopramide 10mg prior to induction of anaesthesia. The severity of nausea and vomiting were then assessed over a period of 4 hours before discharge. Results: Nausea was mild in 24.2% and 6.1% of patients that received metoclopramide and ondansetron respectively, and severe in 9.1% of patients in both groups. In the metoclopramide group, 6.1% experienced 1 bout of vomiting compared to 3% in the ondansetron group. 3% had 2 bouts of vomiting in the metoclopramide, none in the ondansetron group had up to 2 bouts of vomit. Conclusion: Ondansetron was more effective in the prevention of the mild form of nausea, the two study drugs are similarly effective for the prevention of vomiting.
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