Tropisetron for postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients after gynaecological surgery

In a double-blind study, we have compared the prophylactic antiemetic effect of tropisetron 5 mg (Navoban, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist) with that of placebo, both given as a short i.v. infusion approximately 15 min before wound closure in patients undergoing gynaecological surgery. Perioperative anaesthetic care was standardized and patients were observed for at least 24 h after operation. The 35 patients given tropisetron and 34 given placebo treatment were well matched for characteristics. Vomiting occurred in 26% of tropisetron-treated patients, compared with 59% of placebo-treated patients (P = 0.006); 69% of tropisetron-treated patients suffered nausea, compared with 88% of placebo-treated patients (P = 0.05). In addition, patients judged the antiemetic treatment with tropisetron as more effective than the placebo treatment (visual analogue score 71 vs 51 mm (P = 0.003)).