Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is unpleasant and increases health care costs. Despite modern techniques and prophylaxis, PONV rates remain high after laparoscopic bariatric surgery. We aim to reduce PONV after laparoscopic bariatric surgery using aprepitant with a similar scheme used for emetogenic chemotherapy.
Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is not only a disturbing and unpleasant experience for the patient, it also increases length of post anaesthesia care unit (PACU) and hospital stay. In addition, PONV increases the risk for unplanned admission, risk for complications and in the end, health care costs. Risk factors have been identified more than 20 years ago by Apfel et. al., whose screening score has been widely implemented to augment perioperative prophylaxis. But despite modern anaesthetic techniques and combined antiemetic prophylaxis, PONV rates remain high in patients at high risk for PONV: in a recent retrospective study in female patients after laparoscopic bariatric surgery, up to 68% suffered from PONV during the first 48 hours after surgery despite triple antiemetic prophylaxis. While aprepitant is prescribed for three consecutive days after chemotherapy, there is no study so far evaluating the effect of a second dose of aprepitant 24 hours after surgery to prevent the increase in PONV after PACU discharge. We hypothesise, that adding two scheduled doses of aprepitant (2 hours before and 24 hours after surgery) to a twofold antiemetic regimen will significantly reduce cumulative PONV in the first 48 hours after laparoscopic bariatric surgery in patients with moderate to high risk for PONV.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
71
Encapsulated capsule of aprepitant 80mg to make it look alike to the placebo.
Encapsulated placebo capsules for optical, acoustical and haptic blinding.
Department of Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern
Bern, Switzerland
Cumulative rate of PONV 48 hours after surgery
Primary outcome is cumulative rate of PONV (defined as emesis including vomiting and retching, severe nausea \[\>6/10 on a numeric rating scale (NRS)\] and use of rescue medication) at 48 hours after surgery.
Time frame: 48 hours
Severity of nausea
mild \[NRS 1-3\], moderate \[NRS 4-6\] and severe \[NRS 7-10\]
Time frame: 3, 24 and 48 hours after surgery
Incidence of emesis
number
Time frame: 3, 24 and 48 hours after surgery
Use of rescue medication for PONV
medication, cumulative dose, route
Time frame: 3, 24 and 48 hours after surgery
Use of opioid analgesics
mg of oral morphine equivalents
Time frame: 3, 24 and 48 hours after surgery
Use of non-opioid analgesics
medication, cumulative dose, route
Time frame: 3, 24 and 48 hours after surgery
Use of co-analgesics
medication, cumulative dose, route
Time frame: 3, 24 and 48 hours after surgery
Rate of delayed PACU discharge because of PONV
number
Time frame: 24 hours after surgery
Length of PACU stay
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hours
Time frame: 24 hours after surgery
Length of hospital stay
hours
Time frame: 48 hours after surgery
Surgical complications at 30 days after surgery
using Clavien-Dindo classification (number and grade)
Time frame: 30 days