Postoperative emesis after pediatric strabismus surgery: the effect of dixyrazine compared to droperidol.

Abstract

Sixty-one children, ASA physical status I, aged 2-14 years, admitted for strabismus surgery were studied. All were premedicated with diazepam and atropin rectally. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental or with halothane on a facemask, and succinylcholine was given to facilitate tracheal intubation. Anesthesia was maintained with halothane and nitrous oxide. Each child was randomly assigned to receive either no antiemetic prophylaxis (control), droperidol 0.075 mg/kg, or dixyrazine 0.25 mg/kg. The drugs were injected intravenously at the end of surgery. The incidence of vomiting during the following 24 h was 65% in the control group, 48% in the droperidol group, and 25% in the dixyrazine group (P less than 0.05 as compared to the control group). Four hours after the operation, six children in the droperidol group and none in the dixyrazine group (P less than 0.05) were difficult to arouse. It is concluded that dixyrazine reduces the incidence of postoperative vomiting without causing heavy sedation.