Use of anti-emetics after intragastric balloon placement: experience with three different drug treatments

Abstract

Background: Tropisetron treatment was compared with alizapride treatment. The secondary aim was to assess whether droperidol supplement would still improve the therapeutic outcome of tropisetron.

Materials and methods: A series of 51 obese patients was treated with an intragastric balloon to obtain weight reduction. Patients were divided at random into 3 groups. Each group received a different antiemetic and spasmolytic regimen to control postoperative nausea and vomiting for 24 hours. Statistical analysis of both parameters showed that all 3 populations are comparable and the studied incidence of vomiting was only influenced by the choice of the antiemetics used. A specially developed form was completed during the recovery period every 6 hours until 24 hours postoperatively and recorded all episodes of vomiting. The incidence of vomiting was then calculated as number of episodes/24 hours

Results: The incidence of vomiting was significantly lower in the tropisetron group compared to the alizapride group. There was no significant difference between the tropisetron group and the tropisetron plus droperidol group.

Conclusion: To decrease the incidence of vomiting in patients undergoing intragastric balloon placement, tropisetron proved to be the most effective antiemetic. A supplement of droperidol gave no better results but impaired postoperative mood and wellbeing. Alizapride was least effective.