• Aybars Tavlan, Sema Tuncer, Atilla Erol, Ruhiye Reisli, Gökhan Aysolmaz, and Seref Otelcioglu.
• Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Selcuk of Meram Medicine Faculty, Konya, Turkey.
• Clin Drug Investig. 2006 Jan 1;26(4):209-14.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to compare the prophylactic effects of dexamethasone plus ginger and dexamethasone alone on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing thyroidectomy.MethodsOne hundred and twenty patients undergoing general anaesthesia for thyroidectomy were enrolled in this randomised, double-blind study. Patients received oral diazepam 10mg with either oral placebo (group I) or 0.5g of ginger (group II) as premedication 1 hour prior to surgery. Standard general anaesthetic techniques and postoperative analgesia were employed. Both group I and group II received intravenous dexamethasone 150 microg/kg immediately before the induction of anaesthesia. Data were recorded over a 24-hour observation period after surgery.ResultsIn the dexamethasone-treated group, 14 patients experienced nausea, two patients retched, three patients vomited once, two patients vomited repeatedly, and 14 patients required a rescue antiemetic. In the dexamethasone-plus-ginger-treated group, 12 patients experienced nausea, one patient retched, four patients vomited once, no patients vomited repeatedly, and 13 patients required a rescue antiemetic. Dexamethasone plus ginger did not significantly reduce nausea and vomiting compared with dexamethasone alone during the observation period.ConclusionIn conclusion, the prophylactic combination of antiemetic treatment with dexamethasone and ginger was not clinically or statistically superior to dexamethasone alone in preventing PONV in patients undergoing thyroidectomy.

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