Purpose: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common complication in gynecological laparoscopic surgery. Azasetron is a commonly used injectable antiemetic for PONV prevention in clinical practice. However, the impact of its administration method, particularly the timing of administration, on PONV remains ambiguous. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of various administration regimens of azasetron on its antiemetic efficacy in patients undergoing laparoscopic gynecological surgery. Methods: In this prospective study, 129 elective laparoscopic gynecological surgery patients were randomized 1:1:1 to three groups. Group A received azasetron 10 mg intravenously before anesthesia induction. Group B received azasetron 5 mg intravenously before induction and an additional 5 mg before the end of surgery. Group C received azasetron 10 mg intravenously before the end of surgery. The primary outcome was 24-hour PONV incidence. Secondary outcomes included PONV severity (0– 2 and 2– 24 hours), rescue antiemetic use within 24 hours, PACU and hospital stay lengths, and adverse events. Results: There were no significant differences in the incidence and severity of PONV among Groups A, B, and C during the 24-hour follow-up period. The incidence of PONV 24 hours following surgery were 30.2%, 37.2%, and 30.2% (P = 0.728) in Groups A, B, and C, respectively. The incidence of postoperative adverse events was equivalent in both three groups. Group B demonstrated the highest demand for rescue antiemetic medications (P = 0.021), and the length of stay in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) was significantly extended (P = 0.012). Conclusion: No significant difference was observed in PONV prevention within 24 hours postoperatively when comparing intravenous administration of 10 mg azasetron before anesthesia induction versus before surgical conclusion in gynecological laparoscopic surgery. In the context of 10 mg dosage of azasetron, the split-dose regimen increases the 24-hour rescue antiemetic requirements. Keywords: azasetron, postoperative nausea and vomiting, gynecological laparoscopic surgery, randomized controlled trial
Li et al. (Sun,) studied this question.