Effect of Remifentanil on Postoperative Vomiting After Strabismus Surgery in Preschool Children: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract

BackgroundStrabismus surgery and the use of opioid are risk factors of postoperative vomiting. We evaluated whether there is a dose-dependent effect of remifentanil on the incidence of postoperative vomiting.MethodsSixty pediatric patients who were scheduled for strabismus surgery were enrolled. Patients were randomly divided into three groups; Group H (high-dose remifentanil group), Group L (low-dose remifentanil group), and Group C (control group). After endotracheal intubation, patients in the Group H and L received an intravenous bolus dose of remifentanil of 1.0 μg/kg and 0.5 μg/kg over 2 min, respectively. Group H and L patients received a continuous infusion of remifentanil (0.1 μg/kg/min) during the surgery. The patients in Group C did not have any dose of remifentanil. Intravenous fentanyl (1 µg/kg) was administered to the patients for postoperative pain control.ResultsThe primary outcome was a difference of the incidence of postoperative vomiting within 24 hours after surgery. There was no significant difference in incidence of postoperative vomiting between three groups. The degree of emergence agitation and postoperative pain did not show any significant difference between three groups.ConclusionsThe intraoperative administration of remifentanil did not show dose-dependent effect on postoperative vomiting in pediatric strabismus surgery.