Comparative Study of Ondansetron and Palonosetron for Prevention of Nausea and Vomiting Following Upper Abdominal Surgeries under General Anaesthesia: A Randomised Control Trial

Abstract

Introduction: Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV) is a common entity following surgical procedure. It may result into serious complication like aspiration of gastric contents, prolonged recovery period. Palonosetron is a selective serotonin antagonist that is 5HT3 receptor antagonist with little to no affinity for other receptors and has a longer duration of action. Ondansetron is also a 5HT3 receptor antagonist with shorter duration of action and some side effects. Aim: To compare the effectiveness of ondansetron and palonosetron for the prevention of PONV following upper abdominal surgeries. Materials and Methods: This prospective single-blind study included 120 patients randomly assigned to the palonosetron group (n=60) or the ondansetron group (n=60). Using the chi-square test and calculating p-value, the two groups were compared. Results: The incidence of nausea, vomiting and use of rescue antiemetic was significantly less in palonosetron group as compared to ondansetron group. Conclusion: From the study, it can be concluded that palonosetron at a dose of 0.075 mg is safe, with lesser side effects and proved more effective than ondansetron 4 mg in prevention of PONV.

Keywords

• adverse effect
• antiemetic
• postoperative