Dexamethasone Alone versus Combined with Droperidol for Preventing Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting in Gynecological...

To compare the efficacy and safety of dexamethasone alone versus dexamethasone combined with droperidol for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing gynecological day surgery under ciprofol-alfentanil general anesthesia.

A total of 268 patients scheduled for gynecological day surgery were randomly assigned to the DD group (dexamethasone-droperidol, n=134) or the DN group (dexamethasone-normal saline, n=134). Before induction of anesthesia, the DD group received 5 mg dexamethasone plus 1 mg droperidol, while the DN group received 5 mg dexamethasone plus normal saline. Anesthesia induction: ciprofol 0.5 mg/kg, alfentanil 20 μg/(kg·h), and mivacurium 0.2 mg/kg. Anesthesia maintenance: ciprofol 1.25 mg/(kg·h), alfentanil 40 μg/(kg·h), with bispectral index (BIS) maintained at 40-60. The primary outcome was the incidence of PONV within 24 h postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of adverse events within 24 h postoperatively, patient satisfaction, hemodynamic changes during anesthesia, BIS changes during anesthesia, and the incidence of intraoperative adverse events.

The incidence of PONV within 24 h postoperatively was significantly lower in the DD group than in the DN group (17.2% vs 31.9%), with a statistically significant difference. No significant differences were found between the two groups in the incidence of postoperative adverse events within 24 h, patient satisfaction, hemodynamic changes during anesthesia, BIS changes during anesthesia, or the incidence of intraoperative adverse events. No specific adverse effects of droperidol were observed in the DD group.

For patients undergoing gynecological day surgery under ciprofol-alfentanil general anesthesia, the combination of dexamethasone and droperidol is significantly more effective than dexamethasone alone in preventing PONV, with no significant difference in safety between the two regimens.