The effect of propofol and fentanyl as compared with sevoflurane on postoperative vomiting in children after adenotonsillectomy.

Postoperative vomiting (PV) after adenotonsillectomy in children is a common problem with an incidence as high as 40-80%. Only few studies in the recent literature compared the effect of different anesthetic techniques concerning PV in children. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of PV in two groups of children who underwent two different general anesthesia techniques in order to determine what type of anesthetic technique is more related to less PV. The clinical trial included 50 children (physical status ASA I, 3-12 years old) divided into 2 groups and monitored for PV 24 hours following the surgery. Group one (G1) consisted of 25 children who underwent general anesthesia with gas mixture 60% nitrous oxide and 40% oxygen and anesthetic propofol, opioid fentanyl and muscle relaxant vecuronium intravenously and group two (G2) included 25 children to whom volatile anesthesia with sevoflurane in the same gas mixture was given. Demographic characteristics (gender, age, weight, history of motion sickness and earlier PV) as well as surgical data (length of surgery and anesthesia, intraoperative blood loss) were recorded. There were no significant differences considering demographic characteristics and surgical data between the investigated groups. The incidence of PV was relatively low 3 children (12%) in G1 group and 5 children (20%) in G2 group. Statistically there was no significant difference between the groups regarding the incidence of PV and both anesthetic techniques can be used equally safe regarded to PV.