Effects of steroids on postoperative nausea and vomiting

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of intraoperative steroids was effective in decreasing the incidence of postanesthetic nausea and vomiting and whether or not those complications were gender related. This retrospective study involved a chart review of 208 patients undergoing lumbar laminectomy at a large metropolitan hospital during a 10-month period in 1989-1990. Sixty-one patients met inclusion criteria and were accepted into the study. Of these, 34 patients had received an intraoperative steroid; 21 were male and 13 female. Twenty-seven patients did not receive intraoperative steroids; 17 were male and 13 female. Data collected included the number of pain medications and antiemetics used in the postoperative period, as well as the number of episodes of nausea and vomiting in the 24 hours following surgery. Results demonstrated that those patients who received intraoperative steroids were less likely to experience problems of nausea and vomiting than those who did not receive the drug. Requirements for postoperative pain medication were also reduced in the steroid group. Female patients in both groups were shown to have a greater incidence of nausea and vomiting than male patients.