Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting in the Plastic Surgery Patient

Despite great advances in modern medicine, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) continue to be a significant problem without a definitive cure. This article describes a prospective study conducted with 143 plastic surgery patients at a single institution between 1998 and 2000 to identify preoperative risk factors for PONV that may be specific to plastic surgery patients. In addition, a prophylactic regimen was identified that demonstrated a decrease in the incidence of PONV from the published incidence of 22% to 3%. The regimen includes the use of multiple antiemetic agents including ondansetron (Zofran) promethazine (Phenergan), and metoclopramide (Reglan), with the addition of dexamethasone (Decadron) in selected casesPresented at the 69th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Los Angeles, CA, October 2000