Comparison of intraperitoneal dexamethasone, dexmedetomidine, and dexamethasone–dexmedetomidine combination on postoperative nausea, vomiting, and analgesics requirement after gynecological laparoscopy: A randomized clinical trial

Background: Female patients who undergo gynecological laparoscopic surgery are more likely to suffer from postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). The study aimed to probe and investigate the effectiveness of intraperitoneal administration of dexamethasone, dexmedetomidine, and combination in reducing the incidence of PONV and postoperative analgesic requirements in laparoscopic hysterectomies. Materials and Methods: One hundred ninety-two female patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomies were randomly assigned to four groups. Anesthesia was identical in each group. Patients in the group D1 received dexamethasone 8 mg, group D2 received dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg, group D3 received dexamethasone 8 mg + dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg combination, and group D4 received 20 mL normal saline intraperitoneally at the end of the surgery, before trocar removal. The primary outcome was the incidence of PONV experienced by the patients within 24-h postoperative period. Results: In the first 24 h postoperatively, the incidence of PONV was significantly reduced in D1, D2, and D3 groups compared with D4 (P = 0.001); however, there were no significant differences among the three groups. The requirement for rescue antiemetic and rescue analgesic was similar among the groups but significantly decreased compared with the control group (group D4) (P = 0.002 and P = 0.0003, respectively). Conclusion: Intraperitoneal administration of dexamethasone, dexmedetomidine, and a combination of dexamethasone–dexmedetomidine in laparoscopic hysterectomies significantly reduces both PONV and postoperative analgesics requirements compared with the control group.