Postoperative nausea and vomiting

Abstract

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) occurs in approximately 30 percent of patients undergoing surgery. It can cause patient dissatisfaction, significant clinical complications and economical loss. In PONV management, patient risk should be determined, risk reducing measures should be implemented, dosing and timing of antiemetic prophylaxis should be determined and an algorithm including rescue treatment for each patient should be generated. In this review, pathophysiology, risk factors, prevention and treatment of PONV are presented.