Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting

The vomiting reflex evolved as a defensive one centered mainly on the gastrointestinal tract. It is also a symptom of many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and other systems. Its occurrence with nausea in the postoperative period poses a challenge to surgeons and anaesthetists alike. To avoid the unwanted effects of postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients, pre, intra and postoperative factors that contribute to its occurrence should be prevented or treated. Antiemetics, acupuncture and other drugs are used to prevent and treat postoperative nausea and vomiting. Those that manage patients in the postoperative period should endeavour to make postoperative nausea and vomiting as unacceptable as postoperative pain.