Effect of pharyngeal packing during nasal surgery on postoperative nausea and vomiting

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of pharyngeal packing in reducing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after nasal surgery by taking into consideration the surgery types. STUDY DESIGN A prospective, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING A tertiary referral center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS After the study was approved by the local ethics committee, this study was conducted in the Otorhinolaryngology clinic with the collaboration of the Anesthesiology clinic. The development of PONV within 24 hours after surgery was evaluated in patients who were applied a pharyngeal pack (Group 1) or not (Group 2) during nasal surgery. RESULTS There were 104 adult patients for routine nasal surgery included in the current study, yielding 100 (group 1, n = 50; group 2, n = 50) evaluable subjects. No significant difference was found in the incidence of PONV between the two groups at two ( P = 0.41), four ( P = 0.54), eight ( P = 0.51), and 24 hours. According to surgery type, the incidence of PONV after two hours was 71 percent in septorhinoplasty, 68 percent in endoscopic sinus surgery, and 50 percent in septoplasty; after four hours it was 59 percent in septorhinoplasty, 53 percent in endoscopic sinus surgery, and 37 percent in septoplasty; and after eight hours it was 35 percent in septorhinoplasty, 39 percent in endoscopic sinus surgery, and 21 percent in septoplasty. PONV was not seen at 24 hours. Compared to the septoplasty group for which pharyngeal packing was used, significantly lower rates of PONV at four and eight hours were found in the septoplasty group in which pharyngeal packing was not used ( P = 0.02). CONCLUSION Pharyngeal packing in nasal surgery has no impact on PONV.