• Y Fujii, Y Saitoh, and N Kobayashi.
• Department of Anesthesiology, Toride Kyodo General Hospital, Tosride City, Ibaraki, Japan.
• Laryngoscope. 2001 Feb 1;111(2):255-8.

Objective/HypothesisGranisetron, a selective 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor antagonist, is effective for the prevention of vomiting after tonsillectomy in children. Ramosetron (Nasea; Yamanouchi; Tokyo, Japan), another new antagonist of 5-hydroxytryptamione type 3 receptor, has more potent and longer-acting properties than granisetron (Kytril; Smith Kline Beecham, London, UK) against cisplatin-induced emesis. This study was undertaken to compare the efficacy and safety of granisetron and ramosetron for the prevention of vomiting after pediatric tonsillectomy.Study DesignProspective, randomized, double-blinded study.MethodsNinety pediatric patients, aged 4 to 10 years, received intravenously granisetron 40 microg/kg or ramosetron 6 microg/kg (n = 45 each) at the end of surgery. The same standard general anesthetic technique and postoperative analgesia were used throughout. Emetic episodes and safety assessment were performed during the first 24-hour period and the next 24-hour period after anesthesia.ResultsThe rates of patients being emesis-free during the period from 0 to 24 hours after anesthesia were 89% with granisetron and 93% with ramosetron, respectively (P = .357); the corresponding rates during the period from 24 to 48 hours after anesthesia were 71% and 93%, respectively (P = .006). No clinically serious adverse events attributable to the study drugs were observed in any of the groups.ConclusionRamosetron is a better antiemetic than granisetron for the long-term prevention of postoperative vomiting in children undergoing general anesthesia for tonsillectomy.

25 keywords...

hide…