Menstrual cycle irregularity and the incidence of nausea and vomiting after laparoscopy

✍ Scribed by D. Harmon; P. O'Connor; O. Gleasa; J. Gardiner

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 76 KB
• Volume: 55
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0003-2409
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2044.2000.01719.x

✦ Synopsis

Gender is an important risk factor for postoperative nausea and vomiting. Menstrual cycle phase has also been implicated as a further variable in female patients. It is not clear whether a history of an irregular menstrual cycle is a significant variable and studies to date have not examined this. The influence of an irregular menstrual cycle on nausea and vomiting after laparoscopy was evaluated in a blinded, prospective, observational study. One hundred and fifty‐nine patients scheduled for laparoscopy and dye investigation were included. Anaesthetic technique and postoperative analgesia were standardised. In comparison with patients who had a regular cycle, an irregular menstrual cycle increased the incidence of nausea or vomiting from 20.5% to 40.5% (absolute difference 20%; 95% CI 0.03–0.37, p = 0.01). Other variables were similar between the groups. An irregular menstrual cycle appears to increase the risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting.