COMPARISON OF DROPERIDOL AND METOCLOPRAMIDE IN THE PREVENTION OF NAUSEA - VOMITING AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY

Patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) may be especially at risk of experiencing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the antiemetic efficacy of droperidol and metoclopramide when administered prophylactically for prevention of PONV after LC. 5 minutes prior to induction of anaesthesia, 90 patients received in a randomized, double blind manner, inj. droperidol 20 mgkg(-1) or inj. metoclopramide 0.2 mgkg(-1) or placebo (n = 30 per group) intravenously. Patients were then observed for the next 24 hr after administration. During 24 hours after LC, the percentage of patients free of nausea vomiting were 58% with droperidol, 52% with metoclopramide and 46% with placebo. There were no significant differences between the groups. The overall risk of adverse events did not differ in any of the groups, except dry mouth/ lips in droperidol group compared with metoclopramide and placebo (P < 0.05). The results in our study suggests that droperidol and metoclopramide when administered prophylactically before induction of balanced general anaesthesia were not significantly effective to control PONV in LC in comparison to placebo.