Effect of ondansetron on nausea and vomiting after middle ear surgery during general anaesthesia

The efficacy of ondansetron 4 mg and 8 mg was compared with placebo in the reduction of postoperative nausea, retching and vomiting (PONV) after middle ear surgery during general anaesthesia, in 75 patients, in a double-blind and randomized study. Both doses of ondansetron were predictors for a decrease in PONV and the number of doses of rescue antiemetic needed per patient (droperidol: from 0.72 in the placebo group to 0.32 in both the 4-mg and 8-mg groups). No reduction in PONV was observed in patients with a history of motion sickness, whereas in patients without a history of motion sickness, ondansetron reduced both the proportion of patients suffering from PONV from 53% to 20% (P < 0.05) and of those needing droperidol from 53% to 17% (P < 0.05).