Intraoperative antiemetic efficacy of prophylactic ondansetron versus droperidol for cesarean section patients under epidural anesthesia

The efficacy of ondansetron and droperidol were evaluated for prophylactic treatment of nausea and vomiting in cesarean section patients under epidural anesthesia. Forty-eight ASA physical status I-II parturients requiring nonemergent cesarean section gave their consent and were randomly assigned into one of three treatment groups (n=16 each) according to a double-blind, placebo-controlled protocol. When the fetal umbilical cord was clamped, patients received intravenously 8 mg of ondansetron or 0.625 mg of droperidol or saline depending on their treatment group. Ninety-four percent of the ondansetron group, 88% of the droperidol group, and 56% of the placebo group were emesis free. Sixty-nine percent of the ondansetron group, 75% of the droperidol group, and 31% of the placebo group were nausea free. This study showed a significantly lower incidence of nausea and vomiting and a tendency toward less severe emetic symptoms in the ondansetron and the droperidol groups than in the placebo group, but the ondansetron group was not statistically different from the droperidol group. This study is the first to report the antiemetic efficacy of prophylactic ondansetron in cesarean section patients or in patients under epidural anesthesia for abdominal surgery. Both prophylactic ondansetron and droperidol were similarly effective, and significantly better than placebo, in reducing the incidence and severity of intraoperative emetic symptoms in cesarean section patients under epidural anesthesia.