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Does the duration of N2O administration affect postoperative nausea and vomiting?
Nurse Anesthesia
|March 1, 1991
Summary
Nitrous oxide (N2O) use in longer ambulatory cosmetic surgeries increases the risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PNV). Avoiding N2O in procedures over two hours may reduce PNV incidence in these patients.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Surgical Complications
Background:
- Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PNV) are common complications in ambulatory surgery.
- Identifying factors that influence PNV incidence is crucial for patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between nitrous oxide (N2O) administration and the incidence of PNV.
- To evaluate the impact of anesthesia duration on PNV in patients receiving N2O.
Main Methods:
- A study of 184 adult ambulatory cosmetic surgery patients.
- Anesthesia maintained with thiopental, opioid (fentanyl or sufentanil), and isoflurane, with or without N2O.
- Statistical analysis using two-way chi-square and Fisher Exact tests.
Main Results:
- PNV incidence correlated with anesthesia duration in patients receiving N2O.
- For anesthesia lasting 3.0-5.3 hours, 100% of N2O patients experienced PNV (P < .05).
- For anesthesia lasting 2.0-2.9 hours, 66.7% of N2O patients experienced PNV (p = .06).
Conclusions:
- Avoiding N2O in ambulatory cosmetic surgery cases exceeding two hours may reduce PNV.
- N2O avoidance is recommended for longer procedures using opioid and isoflurane anesthesia to minimize PNV risk.