Dexamethasone Preoperative for Patients Undergoing Laparoscopy for Suspected Appendicitis

Summary

For elective abdominal surgery preoperative administration of 8 mg dexamethasone reduces the incidents of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Whether preoperative administration of 8 mg dexamethasone reduces PONV for patients having acute abdominal surgery has not been established. The investigators wish to see if preoperative administration of 8 mg dexamethasone minimum 30 minutes prior to a diagnostic laparoscopy for suspected appendicitis will reduce the incidents of PONV by 50%. Of secondary interest the investigators want to see if 8 mg dexamethasone preoperative can reduce pain, reduce opioid consumption, postoperative fatigue, duration of time until resumption of work and resumption of normal daily activities, and enhanced the quality of recovery.

Timeline

Start

2015-04

Primary completion

2015-10

Completion

2015-10

Outcome

Missed primary endpoint

paper Preoperative dexamethasone did not reduce PONV by the target level of 50 per cent. PMID 28072446 ↗

Publications

• Kleif J, Gogenur I. Severity classification of the quality of recovery-15 score-An observational study. J Surg Res. 2018 May;225:101-107. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2017.12.040. Epub 2018 Feb 21.
• Kleif J, Kirkegaard A, Vilandt J, Gogenur I. Randomized clinical trial of preoperative dexamethasone on postoperative nausea and vomiting after laparoscopy for suspected appendicitis. Br J Surg. 2017 Mar;104(4):384-392. doi: 10.1002/bjs.10418. Epub 2017 Jan 10.

Drugs

Indications