Low-dose haloperidol prevents post-operative nausea and vomiting after ambulatory laparoscopic surgery

We evaluated the prophylactic effect of low-dose haloperidol (1 mg) on post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in women undergoing ambulatory laparoscopic surgery. Droperidol (0.625 mg) and saline were controls.

One hundred and fifty women undergoing ambulatory laparoscopic surgery under general anaesthesia were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study. After tracheal intubation, the haloperidol group (n=50) received intravenous haloperidol (1 mg), the droperidol group (n=50) received intravenous droperidol (0.625 mg), and the saline group (n=50) received intravenous saline.

Haloperidol- and droperidol-group patients reported a lower incidence of PONV [24% and 23% vs. 49% (saline group); P<0.05] and requested fewer doses of rescue antiemetics [13% and 16% vs. 38% (saline group); P<0.05] during the first four post-operative hours. During the 24-h post-operative period, haloperidol- and droperidol-group patients also reported a lower incidence of PONV [31% and 32% vs. 62% (saline group); P<0.01]. No differences were found between the haloperidol and droperidol groups.

Like droperidol (0.625 mg), prophylactic intravenous haloperidol (1 mg) significantly reduced the incidence of PONV in women undergoing ambulatory laparoscopic surgery.