Prevention and Treatment of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting

Hwal Youn Lee; Hyojin Park

doi:10.5124/jkma.2007.50.1.65

J Korean Med Assoc > Volume 50(1); 2007 > Article

Lee and Park: Prevention and Treatment of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting

Continuing Education Column

Journal of the Korean Medical Association

Journal of the Korean Medical Association 2007; 50(1): 65-70.

Published online: January 31, 2007

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2007.50.1.65

Prevention and Treatment of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting

Hwal Youn Lee, MD, Hyojin Park, MD

Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Korea. hjpark21@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr

Abstract

Postoperative nausea and vomiting is an adverse condition that affects a large number of patients after surgical interventions. Postoperative vomiting is a severe discomfort for patients and can be a bigger concern even than postoperative pain. Although many studies have been performed on the pathophysiology of postoperative nausea and vomiting, little has been known about it. This article reviews the risk factors, mechanisms, preventive measures, and treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting.

Postoperative nausea and vomiting

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Figure 1

Hypothetical model of the pathophysiology of postoperative nausea and vomiting(5)

Table 1

Risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting depending on the total score of risk factors(5)

Table 2

Clinical management of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) concerning prophylaxis and therapy(5)