Randomized clinical trial of continuous transversus thoracis muscle plane block for patients undergoing open heart valve replacement surgery.

The optimal analgesia regimen after open cardiac surgery is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the beneficial effects of continuous transversus thoracis muscle plane (TTMP) blocks initiated before surgery on open cardiac surgery outcomes. A group of 110 patients were randomly allocated to either receive bilateral continuous TTMP blocks (TTP group) or no nerve block (SAL group). The primary endpoint was post-operative pain at 4, 8, 16, 24, 48 and 72 h after extubation at rest and exercise. The secondary outcome measures included analgesia requirements (sufentanil and flurbiprofen axetil administration), time to extubation, incidence of reintubation, length of stay in the ICU, incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV), time until return of bowel function, time to mobilization, urinary catheter removal and length of hospital stay. The length of stay in the ICU and length of hospital stay were significantly longer in the SAL group than in the TTP group. NRS scores at rest and exercise were significantly lower in the TTP group than in the SAL group at all time points. The TTP group required significantly less intraoperative and post-operative sufentanil and post-operative dynastat consumption than the SAL group. Time to extubation, time to first flatus, time until mobilization and time until urinary catheter removal were significantly earlier in the TTP group than in the SAL group. The incidence of PONV was significantly lower in the TTP group. Bilateral continuous TTMP blocks provide effective analgesia and accelerate recovery in patients undergoing open heart valve replacement surgery.

The effect of perioperative benzodiazepine administration on postoperative nausea and vomiting: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Despite recent systematic reviews suggesting their benefit for postoperative nausea, vomiting, or both (PONV) prevention, benzodiazepines have not been incorporated into guidelines for PONV prophylaxis because of concerns about possible adverse effects. We conducted an updated meta-analysis to inform future practice guidelines. METHODS: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of all languages comparing benzodiazepines with non-benzodiazepine comparators in adults undergoing inpatient surgery. Our outcomes were postoperative nausea, vomiting, or both. We assessed risk of bias for RCTs using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. We pooled data using a random-effects model and assessed the quality of evidence for each outcome using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. RESULTS: We screened 31 413 abstracts and 950 full texts. We included 119 RCTs; 104 were included in quantitative synthesis. Based on moderate certainty evidence, we found that perioperative benzodiazepine administration reduced the incidence of PONV (52 studies, n=5086, relative risk [RR]: 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66-0.89; number needed to treat [NNT] 16; moderate certainty), postoperative nausea (55 studies, n=5916, RR: 0.72, 95% CI 0.62-0.83; NNT 21; moderate certainty), and postoperative vomiting (52 studies, n=5909, RR: 0.74, 95% CI 0.60-0.91; NNT 55; moderate certainty). CONCLUSIONS: Moderate quality evidence shows that perioperative benzodiazepine administration decreases the incidence of PONV. The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis will inform future clinical practice guidelines. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL: The protocol for this systematic review was pre-registered with PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42022361088) and published in BMJ Open (PMID 31831540).

Opioid-free anaesthesia reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting after thoracoscopic lung resection: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative opioid use has a positive relationship with postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and opioid-free anaesthesia (OFA) might reduce PONV. We investigated whether OFA compared with opioid-based anaesthesia would reduce PONV during the first 2 postoperative days among patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection. METHODS: In this randomised controlled trial, 120 adult patients were randomly assigned (1:1, stratified by sex) to receive either OFA with esketamine, dexmedetomidine, and sevoflurane, or opioid-based anaesthesia with sufentanil and sevoflurane. A surgical pleth index (SPI) of 20-50 was applied for intraoperative analgesia provision. All subjects received PONV prophylaxis (dexamethasone and ondansetron) and multimodal analgesia (flurbiprofen axetil, ropivacaine wound infiltration, and patient-controlled sufentanil). The primary outcome was the occurrence of PONV during the first 48 h after surgery. RESULTS: The median age was 53 yr and 66.7% were female. Compared with opioid-based anaesthesia, OFA significantly reduced the incidence of PONV (15% vs 31.7%; odds ratio [OR]=0.38, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.16-0.91; number needed to treat, 6; P=0.031). Secondary and safety outcomes were comparable between groups, except that OFA led to a lower rate of vomiting (OR=0.23, 95% CI, 0.08-0.77) and a longer length of PACU stay (median difference=15.5 min, 95% CI, 10-20 min). The effects of OFA on PONV did not differ in the prespecified subgroups of sex, smoking status, and PONV risk scores. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of PONV prophylaxis and multimodal analgesia, SPI-guided opioid-free anaesthesia halved the incidence of PONV after thoracoscopic lung resection, although it was associated with a longer stay in the PACU. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200059710).

Commonly used antiemetics for prophylaxis of postoperative nausea and vomiting after Caesarean delivery with neuraxial morphine: a network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Dopamine antagonists, 5-HT3 antagonists, and dexamethasone are frequently used in obstetrics to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). However, the superiority of any drug class is yet to be established. This network meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy of these antiemetics for PONV prophylaxis in women receiving neuraxial morphine for Caesarean delivery. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, Web of Science, and Wanfang Data for eligible randomised controlled trials. Primary outcomes were the incidences of postoperative nausea (PON) and postoperative vomiting (POV) within 24 h after surgery. We used a Bayesian random-effects model and calculated odds ratios with 95% credible intervals for dichotomous data. We performed sensitivity and subgroup analyses for primary outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 33 studies with 4238 women were included. In the primary analyses of all women, 5-HT3 antagonists, dopamine antagonists, dexamethasone, and 5-HT3 antagonists plus dexamethasone significantly reduced PON and POV compared with placebo, and 5-HT3 antagonists plus dexamethasone were more effective than monotherapy. In the subgroup analyses, similar results were seen in women receiving epidural morphine or intrathecal morphine alone but not in women receiving intrathecal morphine with fentanyl or sufentanil. However, most included studies had some concerns or a high risk of bias, and the overall certainty of the evidence was low or very low. CONCLUSIONS: Combined 5-HT3 antagonists plus dexamethasone are more effective than monotherapy in preventing PONV associated with neuraxial morphine after Caesarean delivery. Future studies are needed to determine the role of prophylactic antiemetics in women receiving intrathecal morphine and lipophilic opioids. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL: PROSPERO CRD42023454602.

Dose-response relationships of intravenous and perineural dexamethasone as adjuvants to peripheral nerve blocks: a systematic review and model-based network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Superiority of perineural over intravenous dexamethasone at extending nerve block analgesia has been suggested but without considering the dose-response relationships for each route of administration. METHODS: Randomised control studies that evaluated intravenous or perineural dexamethasone as an adjuvant to unilateral peripheral nerve blocks in adults were searched up to October 2023 in MEDLINE, Central, Google Scholar, and reference lists of previous systematic reviews. The Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool was used. A maximum effect (Emax) model-based network meta-analysis was undertaken to evaluate the dose-response relationships of dexamethasone. RESULTS: A total of 118 studies were selected (9284 patients; 35 with intravenous dexamethasone; 106 with perineural dexamethasone; dose range 1-16 mg). Studies with unclear or high risk of bias overestimated the effect of dexamethasone. Bias-corrected estimates indicated a maximum fold increase in analgesia duration of 1.7 (95% credible interval (CrI) 1.4-1.9) with dexamethasone, with no difference between perineural and intravenous routes. Trial simulations indicated that 4 mg of perineural dexamethasone increased the mean duration of analgesia for long-acting local anaesthetics from 11.1 h (95% CrI 9.4-13.1) to 16.5 h (95% CrI 14.0-19.3) and halved the rate of postoperative nausea and vomiting. A similar magnitude of effect was observed with 8 mg of intravenous dexamethasone. CONCLUSIONS: Used as an adjuvant for peripheral nerve block, intravenous dexamethasone can be as effective as perineural dexamethasone in prolonging analgesic duration, but is less potent, hence requiring higher doses. The evidence is limited because of the observational nature of the dose-response relationships and the quality of the included studies. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL: PROSPERO CRD42020141689.

Perioperative use of low dose haloperidol safely reduces episodes of postoperative nausea/vomiting and length of stay following elective minimally invasive bariatric surgery.

INTRODUCTION: While total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) protocols include Dexamethasone and Ondansetron prophylaxis, bariatric patients continue to be considered at particularly high risk for postoperative nausea/vomiting (PONV). A multimodal approach for prophylaxis is recommended by the Bariatric Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Society however, there remains a lack of consensus on the optimal strategy to manage PONV in these patients. Haloperidol has been shown at low doses to have a therapeutic effect in treatment of refractory nausea and in PONV prophylaxis in other high risk surgical populations. We sought to investigate its efficacy as a prophylactic medication for PONV in the bariatric population and to identify which perioperative strategies were most effective at reducing episodes of PONV. METHODS: An institutional bariatric database was created by retrospectively reviewing patients undergoing elective minimally invasive bariatric procedures from 2018 to 2022. Demographic data reviewed included age, gender, preoperative body mass index (BMI), ethnicity, and primary language. Primary endpoints included patient reported episodes of PONV, total doses of Ondansetron administered, need for a second antiemetic (rescue medication), complication rate (most commonly readmission within 30 days), and length of stay. Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney test, and ANOVA were used to evaluate the effect of perioperative management on various endpoints. RESULTS: A total of 475 patients were analyzed with Haloperidol being utilized in 15.8% of all patients. Patients receiving Haloperidol were less likely to require Ondansetron outside of the immediate perioperative period (34.7% vs. 49.8%, p = 0.02), experienced less PONV (41.3% vs. 64.3%, p = 0.01) and also had a decreased median length of stay (27.3 vs. 35.8 h, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Addition of low dose Haloperidol to Bariatric ERAS protocols decreases incidence of PONV and the need for additional antiemetic coverage resulting in a significantly shorter length of stay, increasing the likelihood of safe discharge on postoperative day 1.

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS® ) Society abdominal and thoracic surgery recommendations: A systematic review and comparison of guidelines for perioperative and pharmacotherapy core items.

INTRODUCTION: Worldwide, ERAS® Society guidelines have ushered in a new era of perioperative care. The purpose of this systematic review is to compare published core elements and pharmacotherapy recommendations embedded within ERAS® Society abdominal and thoracic surgery (ATS) guidelines. Determining whether a consensus exists for pharmacological core items would make future guideline preparation for similar surgeries more standardized and could improve patient care by reducing unnecessary protocol variations. METHODS: From the ERAS® Society website as of May 2023, 16 current ERAS® published ATS guidelines were included in the analysis to determine consensus and differing statements regarding each ERAS® perioperative and pharmacotherapy-related item. The aims were to (a) determine whether a consensus for each item could be derived, (b) identify gaps in ERAS® protocol development, and (c) propose potential research directions for addressing the identified gaps in the literature. RESULTS: Core items with consensus included: preoperative smoking and alcohol cessation; avoiding bowel reparation and fasting; multimodal preanesthetic, perioperative analgesia, and postoperative nausea and vomiting regimens; low molecular weight heparins for in-hospital and at-home venous thromboembolism prophylaxis; antibiotic prophylaxis; skin preparation; goal-directed perioperative fluid management with balanced crystalloids; perioperative nutrition care; ileus prevention with peripherally-acting mu receptor antagonists; and glucose control. CONCLUSION: While consensus was found for aspects of 21 current ERAS® guideline core items related to pharmacotherapy choice, details related to doses, regimen, timing of administration as well as unique aspects pertaining to specific surgeries remain to be researched and harmonized to promote guideline consistency and further optimize patient outcomes.

Ondansetron for the Prevention of Pruritus in Women Undergoing Cesarean Delivery With Intrathecal Opioid: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pruritus is a frequently reported and unpleasant side effect following intrathecal opioid use with frequency further increased among parturients. We have performed a systematic review to assess the overall efficacy of ondansetron for the prevention of pruritus in patients receiving intrathecal opioid as part of spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery. METHODS: A literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases was conducted from date of inception to September 2022. Studies that included patients undergoing cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia using intrathecal opioid were included. The primary outcome was the presence of pruritus, and the secondary outcome was time to onset of pruritus. Data from included studies were pooled for analysis using an appropriately determined random-effects model. Outcomes were presented using forest plots and 95% confidence intervals. Additional sensitivity and subgroup analysis were performed. Trial sequential analysis was conducted for the primary outcome. RESULTS: Twenty-three randomized controlled trials with a total of 2586 patients were included: 1219 received ondansetron, 1030 received a placebo, and a further 337 received a different study drug and were excluded from analysis. Opioids used in the included studies were morphine, fentanyl, and sufentanil. Patients who received ondansetron showed a significant reduction in the incidence of pruritus compared to the control group (RR, 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.71-0.92; I 2 = 64%). There was no significant difference in pruritus onset between the groups (mean difference [MD], 17.54 minutes; 95% CI, -2.18 to 37.26; I 2 = 83%). The overall Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) assessment of quality of evidence was low. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review has demonstrated a significant reduction in the incidence of pruritus following the use of ondansetron. This is in contrast to previously published meta-analyses. Studies included were of varying quality and some at high risk of bias with a high degree of statistical heterogeneity. Furthermore, high-quality and well-powered studies are required to confirm these findings.

Effect of Propofol Infusion on Need for Rescue Antiemetics in Postanesthesia Care Unit After Volatile Anesthesia: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are frequent after volatile anesthesia. We hypothesized that coadministration of propofol with volatile anesthetic compared to pure volatile anesthetics would decrease the need for postoperative antiemetic treatments and shorten recovery time in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). METHODS: We retrospectively identified adult patients who underwent procedures using general anesthesia with volatile agents, with or without propofol infusion, from May 2018 through December 2020, and who were admitted to the PACU. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis was performed using generalized estimating equations with robust variance estimates to assess whether propofol was associated with decreased need for rescue antiemetics. RESULTS: Among 47,847 patients, overall IPTW rescue antiemetic use was 4.7% for 17,573 patients who received propofol and 8.2% for 30,274 who did not (odds ratio [OR], 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49-0.61; P <.001). This effect associated with propofol was present regardless of the intensity of antiemetic prophylaxis (OR, 0.59, 0.51, and 0.58 for 0-1, 2, and ≥3 antiemetics used, respectively), procedural duration (OR, 0.54, 0.62, and 0.47 for ≤2.50, 2.51-4.00, ≥4.01 hours), and type of volatile agent (OR, 0.51, 0.52, and 0.57 for desflurane, isoflurane, and sevoflurane) (all P <.001). This effect was dose dependent, with little additional benefit for the reduction in the use of PACU antiemetics when propofol rate exceeded 100 µg/kg/min. Patients who received rescue antiemetics required longer PACU recovery time than those who did not receive antiemetics (ratio of the geometric mean, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.28-1.33; P <.001), but use of propofol did not affect PACU recovery time (ratio of the geometric mean, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.98-1.01; P =.56). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of propofol infusions to volatile-based anesthesia is associated with a dose-dependent reduction in the need for rescue antiemetics in the PACU regardless of the number of prophylactic antiemetics, duration of procedure, and type of volatile agent used, without affecting PACU recovery time.

Postoperative nausea and vomiting at Landspitali: A prospective study.

BACKGROUND: In the last decade, anaesthesia practice has changed at Landspitali, where the majority of patients now receive antiemetic prophylaxis, and the use of total intravenous anaesthesia is the dominant mode for maintenance of anaesthesia. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in a prospective way, the use of PONV prophylaxis, and clinical risk factors associated with PONV during this era. METHODS: A prospective cohort study using a convenience sample of 438 patients ≥18 years old admitted to the postoperative care unit (PACU) after elective or emergency operations in May-July 2022 at Landspitali University Hospital in Iceland. Patients answered questionnaires in the PACU and 24 h after discharge from PACU. RESULTS: The incidence of self-reported moderate/severe nausea (5/10 or higher on NRS) in PACU was 4% and 3% on postoperative day 1. A total of 91% of delivered anaesthetics were with intravenous medications only, and 82% of patients received at least one prophylactic medication for PONV. When asked to rate the worst nausea experienced, this was described as moderate/severe by 7% in PACU and 17% on postoperative day 1. Risk factors associated with PONV were female gender (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.04-3.53) and a history of motion sickness or PONV (2.74, 1.51-4.94), but increasing age was protective (0.83 per decade, 0.71-0.98). Despite a more liberal administration of antiemetics, patients with more risk factors per Apfel PONV risk classification had a higher incidence of PONV. CONCLUSION: The incidence of PONV is generally low in this diverse surgical population where anaesthesia is mostly maintained with total intravenous anaesthesia and PONV prophylaxis is common. PONV remains a predictable complication following anaesthesia, suggesting further improvement in its prevention is possible.

Anaesthesia practice, quality indices including all-cause 30-day mortality associate to wrist fracture repositioning and surgery in Sweden: A perioperative register-based study 2018-2021.

BACKGROUND: Wrist fracture is one of most common fractures frequently requiring surgical anaesthesia. There is limited information related to the anaesthetic practice and quality including 30-day mortality associated with wrist fracture in Sweden in recent years. AIM: The aim of the present register-based study was to investigate the anaesthesia techniques used and quality indices including 30-day mortality associated with wrist fracture surgery in Sweden during the period 2018-2021. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All fracture repositions, and surgical interventions related to wrist fracture requiring anaesthesia in patients aged >18 years registered in the Swedish Perioperative Register (SPOR) between 2018 and 2021 were included in the analysis. Information on age, ASA class, anaesthesia technique, severe operative events, most reported side-effects during recovery room stay and all-cause 30-day mortality was collected. RESULTS: The data set included 25,147 procedures split into 14,796 females and 10,252 males (missing information n = 99) with a mean age of 52.9 ± 18.7 years and a significant age difference between females and males, 60.3 ± 15.4 and 42.2 ± 17.7 years, respectively. Mean age and ASA class increased during the study period (2018-2021), from 52.8 ± 18.6 to 54.0 ± 18.4 and ASA class 3-5 from 8.1% to 9.4% (p < .001 and p < .041, respectively). General anaesthesia (GA), GA combined with regional anaesthesia (RA), RA with or without sedation and sedation only was used in 41%, 13%, 40% and 6% of procedures, respectively, with minor changes over the study period. Pain at arrival in the recovery room (RR), (3.4%), severe pain during RR stay (2.1%), hypothermia (1.4%), postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) (1.2%) and urinary retention (0.5%) were the most reported side-effects during the RR stay. (RA) was associated with significantly lower occurrence of pain and PONV, and shorter RR stay, compared with GA (p < .001). The all-cause 30-day mortality was low (19 of 25,147 (0.08%)) with no differences over the period studied or anaesthetic technique. CONCLUSION: General anaesthesia or general anaesthesia combined with regional anaesthesia are the most used anaesthetic techniques for wrist fracture procedures in Sweden. Recovery room pain, PONV, hypothermia and urinary retention is reported in overall low frequencies, with no change over the period studied, but in lower frequencies for regional anaesthesia. All-cause 30-day mortality was low; 0.08% with no change over time or between anaesthetic techniques. Thus, the present quality review based on SPOR data supports high quality of perioperative anaesthesia care.

Is Intravenous Dextrose Infusion During Emergence From Anesthesia Effective in Improving the PONV in Gynecologic Laparoscopy? A Randomized Controlled Trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the relationship between intravenous 5% dextrose infusion during emergence from anesthesia to postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients after gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. DESIGN: This was a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized into the experimental group and control group using a computer-generated random number generator. Intervenors and measurers were blinded to group assignments of the study. SETTING: A single academic tertiary medical center. PATIENTS: Patients undergoing gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. INTERVENTIONS: On completion of surgery, participants were randomized into the test group (receive 5% dextrose) and control group (receive Ringer's lactate solution). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary outcome of the present study was the incidence of PONV. Other outcomes included postoperative rescue analgesic and rescue antiemetic, postoperative pain response, and recovery time of postanesthesia care unit. Baseline characteristics were statistically similar between the 2 groups of participants. There were 49 of 105 patients experienced PONV within 24 hours postoperatively. The overall incidence of PONV within 24 hours postoperatively was not significantly different (45.5% vs 48%; relative risk [RR], 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-1.37; p = .794). However, fewer patients experienced PONV in the test group than in the control group during 0 to 1 hours (6.0% vs 20.0%; RR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73-0.99; p = .024) and 1 to 3 hours (14.5% vs 32.0%; RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64-0.99; p = .033) postoperatively. In addition, recovery time in the postanesthesia care unit was less in the test group (17.07 ± 6.36 vs 22.04 ± 7.33; mean difference, -4.97; 95% CI, -7.62 to -2.32; p <.001) and pain score was lower in the test group during 0 to 0.5 hours postoperatively (2.29 ± 1.74 vs 3.08 ± 1.64; mean difference, -0.79; 95% CI, -1.45 to -0.13; p = .019). CONCLUSION: In patients after gynecologic laparoscopic surgery, postanesthesia 5% dextrose infusion may be useful in improving the early management of PONV and pain response and may warrant further study.

Prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting after orthognathic surgery: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is one of the most common adverse events following orthognathic surgery. It's a distressing feeling for patients and continues to be the cause of postoperative complications such as bleeding, delayed healing, and wound infection. This scoping review aims to identify effective PONV prophylaxis strategies during orthognathic surgery that have emerged in the past 15 years. METHODS: We searched Pubmed, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials, and Embase from 2008 to May 2023. Studies meeting the following criteria were eligible for inclusion: (1) recruited patients undergo any orthognathic surgery; (2) evaluated any pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic method to prevent PONV. Studies meeting the following criteria were excluded: (1) case series, review papers, or retrospective studies; (2) did not report our prespecified outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies were included in this review. Pharmacological methods for PONV prevention include ondansetron and dexamethasone (3 studies), peripheral nerve block technique (4 studies), dexmedetomidine (1 study), pregabalin (2 studies), nefopam (2 studies), remifentanil (1 study), propofol (2 studies), and penehyclidine (1 study). Non-pharmacologic methods include capsicum plaster (1 study), throat packs (2 studies) and gastric aspiration (2 studies). CONCLUSIONS: Based on current evidence, we conclude that prophylactic antiemetics like dexamethasone, ondansetron, and penehyclidine are the first defense against PONV. Multimodal analgesia with nerve block techniques and non-opioid analgesics should be considered due to their notable opioid-sparing and PONV preventive effect. For the non-pharmacological methods, throat packs are not recommended for routine use because of their poor effect and serious complications. More prospective RCTs are required to confirm whether gastric aspiration can prevent PONV effectively for patients undergoing orthognathic surgery.

The efficacy and safety of modified ultraearly oral hydration for alleviating thirst in patients after thoracoscopic surgery: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Postoperative fasting following thoracoscopic surgery can cause intense thirst and oral discomfort. However, there is currently no research on ultraearly oral hydration (UEOH) in middle-aged or elderly patients after thoracoscopic surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety of UEOH for improving oral discomfort after thoracoscopic surgery. METHODS: This single-center prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted from April 2022 to November 2023. A total of 64 middle-aged and elderly patients who underwent the first thoracoscopic surgery on the day were enrolled at our institution. Postoperatively, in the Postanesthesia Care Unit (PACU), patients were randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to either the UEOH group or the standard care (SC) group. The primary outcome was the patient's thirst score at 6 h after surgery. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of postoperative oral discomfort; pain scores; the occurrence of adverse reactions such as nausea, vomiting, regurgitation and aspiration; anxiety scores on the first postoperative day; the time to first flatus; and recovery satisfaction scores. RESULTS: The demographic and surgical characteristics were similar between the two groups. Patients in the UEOH group had lower thirst scores 6 h after surgery than did those in the SC group(16.1 ± 6.70 vs. 78.4 ± 8.42, P < 0.01). The incidence of postoperative oral discomfort (P < 0.01), anxiety scores on the first postoperative day (P<0.05), and time to first flatus (P<0.05) were better in the UEOH group. Additionally, the incidences of adverse reactions, such as postoperative nausea, vomiting, regurgitation and aspiration, were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: For middle-aged and elderly patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery, the use of a modified UEOH protocol postoperatively can improve thirst and promote gastrointestinal recovery without increasing complications. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This single-center, prospective, RCT has completed the registration of the Chinese Clinical Trial Center at 07/12/2023 with the registration number ChiCTR2300078425.

Comparison of anaesthesia strategies on postoperative nausea and vomiting in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Intra-operative anaesthesia management should be optimised to reduce the occurrence of postoperative nausea and vomiting in high-risk patients; however, a single intervention may not effectively reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting in such patients. This study assessed the effect of an optimised anaesthetic protocol versus a conventional one on postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. METHODS: A single-centre randomised trial was conducted at Peking University Shenzhen Hospital from June 2021 to December 2022. Among 168 patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, 116 qualified, and 103 completed the study with available data. Patients were categorized into the conventional group (received sevoflurane and standard fluids) and the optimised group (underwent propofol-based anaesthesia and was administered goal-directed fluids). The primary endpoints were postoperative nausea and vomiting incidence and severity within 24 h. RESULTS: Postoperative nausea and vomiting assessment at 0-3 h post-surgery revealed no significant differences between groups. However, at 3-24 h, the optimised anaesthetic protocol group showed lower postoperative nausea and vomiting incidence and severity than those of the conventional group (P = 0.005). In the conventional group, 20 (37.04%) patients experienced moderate-to-severe postoperative nausea and vomiting, compared to six (12.25%) patients in the optimised group (odds ratio = 0.237; 95% CI = 0.086, 0.656; P = 0.006). No significant differences were noted in antiemetic treatment, moderate-to-severe pain incidence, anaesthesia recovery, post-anaesthetic care unit stay, or postoperative duration between the groups. While the total intra-operative infusion volumes were comparable, the optimised group had a significantly higher colloidal infusion volume (500 mL vs. 0 mL, P = 0.014) than that of the conventional group. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence and severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting 3-24 h postoperatively in patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy were significantly lower with propofol-based total intravenous anaesthesia and goal-directed fluid therapy than with sevoflurane anaesthesia and traditional fluid management. Total intravenous anaesthesia is an effective multimodal antiemetic strategy for bariatric surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-TRC- 2,100,046,534, registration date: 21 May 2021).

Effect of converting from propofol to remimazolam with flumazenil reversal on recovery from anesthesia in outpatients with mental disabilities: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: General anesthesia is often necessary for dental treatment of outpatients with mental disabilities. Rapid recovery and effective management of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are critical for outpatients. This study aimed to investigate the effect of transitioning from propofol to remimazolam with flumazenil reversal administered toward the end of surgery during propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) on recovery. METHODS: Adults with mental disabilities scheduled to undergo dental treatment were randomly assigned to receive either propofol-based TIVA (Group P) or propofol-remimazolam-based TIVA with flumazenil reversal (Group PR). Propofol was replaced with remimazolam 1 h before the end of surgery in Group PR; moreover, 0.5 mg of flumazenil was administered after the neuromuscular blockade reversal agent. The primary outcome was the duration of stay in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). The secondary outcomes included time to eye-opening, time to extubation, occurrence of PONV, and quality of recovery. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients were included in this study. The duration of stay in the PACU in Group PR was significantly shorter than that in Group P (mean difference, 8.7 min; confidence interval [95% CI], 3.3-14.2; P = 0.002). Group PR exhibited a shorter time to eye opening (mean difference, 5.4 min; 95% CI, 3.3-8.1; P < 0.001) and time to extubation (mean difference, 5.5 min; 95% CI, 3.6-7.9; P < 0.001) than Group P. Neither group required the administration of rescue analgesics, and the incidence of PONV was not reported. CONCLUSIONS: Transitioning from propofol to remimazolam 1 h before the end of surgery followed by flumazenil reversal reduced the duration of stay in the PACU and the time to eye opening and extubation without affecting the incidence of PONV and quality of recovery. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinical Research Information Service (KCT0007794), Clinical trial first registration date: 12/10/2022.

Efficacy of transversus abdominis plane block on postoperative nausea and vomiting: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common postoperative complication, and Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block can provide effective analgesia for surgical operation. However, but there is not enough evidence to prove its advantage for nausea and vomiting. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of TAP block on PONV. METHODS: Two independent researchers conducted searches for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. We used Review Manager software for meta-analysis. RESULTS: In this meta-analysis, twenty-six trials with 1981 patients were examined. The results showed that TAP block reduced postoperative nausea (Risk Difference (RD) = -0.10, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.15 to -0.05) compared with no TAP block. TAP block reduced the dose of fentanyl (Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) = -1.17, 95% CI: -2.07 to -0.26) and morphine (SMD = -1.12, 95% CI: -2.10 to -0.13) compared with no TAP block, when the timing of administration was before surgery (RD = -0.13, 95% CI: -0.19 to -0.07). TAP block reduced postoperative nausea when the ropivacaine dosage is ≤ 100 mg (RD = -0.13, 95% CI: -0.21 to -0.06), bupivacaine dosage ≥ 100 mg ( RD = -0.08, 95% CI: -0.13 to -0.03), and when the ropivacaine concentration was ≤ 0.375% (RD = -0.11, 95% CI: -0.18 to -0.04). TAP block significantly reduced the incidence of nausea when the types of opioid drugs in PCA is tramadol (RD = -0.13, 95% CI: -0.24 to -0.03). TAP block could reduce the VAS (SMD= -0.99, 95% CI: -1.29 to -0.70) and reduce the time of extubation (SMD = -0.71, 95% CI: -1.34 to -0.08). CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis conducted in this study revealed that TAP block could reduce the incidence of PONV, and the efficacy of TAP block may be influenced by factors such as administration time, local anesthetic dosage and concentration, types of opioid drugs in PCA.

Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on the quality of postoperative recovery: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to systematically delve into the efficacy and safety of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on the quality of recovery after general anesthesia. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials related to TEAS improving postoperative recovery quality were searched in Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang and Chinese biomedical database from the inception of each database to June 2023. After literature screening and data extraction, Stata15 software was employed for meta-analysis, and the quality of the included literature was evaluated utilizing ROB2. RESULTS: The study included 10 articles involving 2,383 patients in total. The meta-analysis results unveiled that TEAS could improve 24-hour and 48-hour postoperative QoR-40 scores as well as 24-hour postoperative QoR-40 dimension scores [WMD = 8.52, 95%CI (5.12, 11.91), P < 0.001; WMD = 1.99, 95%CI (0.91, 3.07), P < 0.001], emotional state [WMD = 1.38, 95%CI (0.66, 2.09), P < 0.001], physical comfort [WMD = 2.99, 95%CI (1.59, 4.39), P < 0.001], psychological support [WMD = 0.63, 95%CI (0.36, 0.90), P < 0.001], and physical independence [WMD = 0.76, 95%CI (0.22, 1.30), P = 0.006]; pain [WMD = 1.81, 95%CI (0.87, 2.75), P < 0.001]; decrease 24-hour postoperative VAS pain scores [WMD = -0.84, 95%CI (-1.45, -0.23), P = 0.007] and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting [RR = 0.88, 95%CI (0.81, 0.97), P = 0.006; RR = 0.62, 95%CI (0.52, 0.73), P < 0.001]. CONCLUSION: TEAS can improve postoperative QoR-40 scores and the quality of recovery, relieve pain, and decrease the incidence of nausea and vomiting after surgery in patients who underwent general anesthesia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CRD42023433959.

Effects of adding low-dose esketamine to sufentanil and propofol sedation during cervical conization: a single-centre, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Cervical conization is a brief but painful procedure that can be performed under sufficient sedation with propofol and opioids. However, this sedation approach comes with a high risk of sedation-related adverse events (SRAEs). Esketamine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, causes less cardiorespiratory depression than opioids. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of adding a low dose of esketamine to propofol and sufentanil sedation as an opioid-reduced regimen. METHODS: A total of 122 consecutive patients with ASA I-II, body mass index < 30, and STOP-BANG score < 3 who underwent cervical conization were enrolled and randomly divided into Group S and Group ES. Using a closed-loop target-controlled infusion (TCI) pump with a target bispectral index (BIS) value of 60 ± 5, patients in Group S were sedated with 0.2 mcg·kg-1 sufentanil and propofol, while patients in Group ES were sedated with 0.15 mg·kg-1 esketamine, 0.1 mcg·kg-1 sufentanil and propofol. The primary outcome was the incidence and severity of SRAEs, while the secondary outcomes included effectiveness of sedation, awakening time, psychotomimetic side effects, postoperative pain, postoperative nausea and vomiting, and patient and gynaecologist satisfaction. RESULTS: Data from 120 patients were analysed. The incidence of composite SRAEs was significantly higher in Group S than in Group ES (85.0% vs. 56.7%, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the severity of SRAEs was higher in Group S than in Group ES (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the effectiveness of sedation, awakening time, psychotomimetic side effects, postoperative pain, postoperative nausea and vomiting, or patient and gynaecologist satisfaction between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Adding low-dose esketamine to propofol and sufentanil sedation reduces the incidence and severity of SRAEs in patients undergoing cervical conization, with equal sedation efficacy, recovery quality, and no additional psychomimetic side effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2000040457 , 28/11/2020.

Safety and effectiveness of opioid-free anaesthesia in thoracoscopic surgery: a preliminary retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to observe the effect of opioid-free anaesthesia (OFA) on intraoperative haemodynamic,postoperative analgesia and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in thoracoscopic surgery in order to provide more evidence for evaluating the safety and effectiveness of OFA technology. METHODS: This was a single-centre retrospective observational study.Adult patients who underwent thoracoscopic surgery with the preoperative thoracic paravertebral block between January 2017 and June 2020 were included.A cohort of 101 thoracoscopic surgery patients who received the OFA technique were matched with 101 thoracoscopic surgery patients who received standard opioid-containing anaesthesia(SOA). Heart rate (HR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) were measured before anaesthesia induction, immediately after endotracheal intubation, at the beginning of surgery, and 10, 20, and 30 min after surgery began.The total amount of intraoperative infusion, frequency of vasoactive drugs use, morphine ingested via the patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) 24 h post-surgery,visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at rest and activity on the first day post-surgery, and frequency of nausea and vomiting within 24 h post-surgery were analysed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in intraoperative HR between the two groups (F = 0.889, P = 0.347); however, there was significant difference in intraoperative MAP (F = 16.709, P < 0.001), which was lower in SOA patients than in OFA patients. The frequency of vasoactive drug use and amount of infusion was less in OFA patients (P = 0.001). The consumption of morphine used by the PCIA 24 h post-surgery was significantly lower in OFA patients (OFA, 1.8 [0, 4.8] mg vs. SOA, 3.6 [0.6, 23] mg, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in VAS scores at rest (P = 0.745) or during activity (P = 0.792) on the first day post-surgery. There was also no statistically significant difference in nausea and vomiting within 24 h post-surgery (P = 0.651). CONCLUSIONS: This case-control study demonstrated that compared with SOA, OFA can effectively maintain the stability of intraoperative MAP, reduce the incidence of hypotension. Although OFA reduced morphine consumption via the PCIA pump 24 h post-surgery, postoperative pain scores and nausea and vomiting within 24 h post-surgery were similar between the groups.But this study was only a preliminary study and needed to confirm in a larger, more robust trial.