Total Intravenous Anesthesia Versus Inhalation Anesthesia on Postoperative Analgesia and Nausea and Vomiting After Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Anesthesia for patients with morbid obesity can be challenging because of increased risk of opioid-related adverse events, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and poor pain control. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the safety and efficacy of total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with inhalation anesthesia in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and the Clinical Trials Registry database from inception to July 22, 2020. Primary outcomes were postoperative pain and PONV scores. Secondary outcomes included opioid requirements, intraoperative time, complications, and time to recovery. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework was used to rate the certainty of evidence. Among 722 studies identified in our search, 7 randomized studies involving a total of 682 patients met the inclusion criteria. Bariatric surgery with TIVA resulted in a lower incidence of nausea (relative risk [RR], 0.54; 95% CI, 0.31-0.94; P = 0.03; moderate certainty) and vomiting (RR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.13-0.74; P = 0.008; moderate certainty). There was no difference in postoperative pain at 30 minutes, 1 hour, or 24 hours, or in postoperative opioid requirements. Patients undergoing bariatric surgery with TIVA had significantly lower incidence of PONV but no difference in postoperative pain when TIVA was compared to inhalation anesthesia techniques. These benefits should be considered in order to improve the quality of care and enhance recovery for the bariatric population, who are at an increased baseline risk of perioperative complications. Future adequately powered randomized controlled trials are needed to compare the efficacy of the anesthesia regimens in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.