A Comparison of Palonosetron and Aprepitant for Prevention of Post Operative Nausea and Vomiting in Females Undergoing Laparoscopic Hysterectomy Under General Anesthesia

Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is the second most common complaint following pain after surgery. In this era of daycare and outpatient-based surgery, PONV is the cause of delayed recovery and discharge from hospital settings. This study was designed to compare Palonosetron and Aprepitant for the prevention of PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy under general anesthesia. Methods: 70 patients were included in this randomized double-blind study. Each group was allocated to receive either 0.075 mg of intravenous Palonosetron or 40mg of oral Aprepitant for PONV prophylaxis. A standard regimen of general anesthesia was administered to both groups for surgery. The primary outcome was the PONV impact severity scale (PISS) score at 48 hours following surgery in both groups. Secondary outcomes were the incidence of clinically significant PONV in both groups and the requirement of rescue antiemetics.  Results: Mean PISS score at 48 hours was significantly lower (0.91±0.13 vs 3.43±0.2) in the Palonosetron group than in the Aprepitant Group. Incidence of PONV (16/35 vs 33/35) was significantly lower with Palonosetron. Incidence of clinically significant PONV and requirement of rescue antiemetics was significantly lower (2/35 vs 13/35) in the Palonosetron group.&nbsp