Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting After Minor Oral Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Surgical Outcomes
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common complication after general anesthesia.
• Understanding risk factors and anesthetic techniques influencing PONV is crucial for improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare PONV incidence between inhalational anesthesia (IA) and total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) in oral surgery.
• To identify specific risk factors for PONV in this patient population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 188 patients aged 16-85 undergoing minor oral surgery.
• Anesthesia administered via IA or TIVA, with PONV assessed at 0-24 hours (overall), 0-2 hours (early), and 2-24 hours (late).
• Analysis included known PONV risk factors, including sex and Apfel scores.

Main Results:

• Overall PONV occurred in 21.8% of patients, early PONV in 18.6%, and late PONV in 7.4%.
• IA was associated with significantly higher overall (29.6% vs 13.3%) and early (25.5% vs 11.1%) PONV compared to TIVA.
• Female sex and higher Apfel scores were significant predictors for all PONV phases.

Conclusions:

• Anesthetic technique (IA vs. TIVA) impacts the incidence of overall and early PONV.
• Female sex and elevated Apfel scores are consistent risk factors for PONV across all time intervals.
• Findings suggest TIVA may be preferable for reducing PONV in select oral surgery patients.