Standardizing the Dosage and Timing of Dexamethasone for Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting Prophylaxis at a Safety-Net Hospital System.

Background: A single dose of dexamethasone is routinely given during general anesthesia for postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) prophylaxis, although the exact dosage and timing of administration may vary between practitioners. The authors aimed to standardize the dosage and timing of this medication when given to adult patients undergoing general anesthesia for elective surgery.

Methods: Baseline data for 7,483 preintervention cases were analyzed.

Pre-appendectomy hyponatremia is associated with increased rates of complicated appendicitis.

Background: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies worldwide. Preoperative assessment of the risk of complicated appendicitis may aid in treatment planning. We sought to investigate the association between pre-appendectomy hyponatremia and diagnosis of complicated appendicitis.