Preventive Effect of Paracetamol and Dexamethasone on Nausea, Vomiting, and Pain after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Background: The currently used antiemetic drugs are not effective in all post-operative patients due to multifactorial origin of nausea and vomiting. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the preventive effect of paracetamol on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in comparison with dexamethasone in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Materials and Methods: in this double-blinded clinical trial 105 patients were selected using a random sampling method; they were American standards association (ASA) class I and II, 18-75 years and candidate for laparoscopic cholecystectomy; randomly assigned into three groups: Paracetamol, Dexamethasone, and control. They were anesthetized using the same method, using sodium thiopental, Fentanyl, Atracurium, and Lidocaine. Anesthesia was maintained with oxygen, Isoflurane and Morphine. They also received 6 mL/kg/h ringer lactate. Patients data were recorded and analyzed.Results: The mean severity of nausea and vomiting in the recovery room at minutes 30, 45, and 60 had a significant difference between the groups (p<0.05). The satisfaction score at minutes 45 and 60 had a significant difference between the groups (p<0.05). However, the mean scores of satisfaction of patients at 15 and 30 minutes were almost the same and no significant difference between the three groups was reported ?(p>0.05).Conclusion: The severity of nausea and vomiting was low in the Paracetamol group and Paracetamol was more effective than Dexamethasone in terms of reducing the rate of nausea and vomiting.Keywords: Paracetamol, Dexamethasone, laparoscopic cholecystectomy