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Multimodal Antiemetic Prophylaxis in Patients Undergoing Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty: A Single-Center Retrospective Case Series

In brief

No rescue-treated nausea or vomiting was documented in 20 sleeve gastroplasty patients

In this single-center review, none of 20 patients receiving four antiemetic drugs plus total intravenous anesthesia had documented nausea or vomiting requiring rescue treatment in the first 12 hours; none presented to the emergency department for severe symptoms within 5 days. The small retrospective series cannot show the regimen caused this result, and standardized prospective studies are needed.

Journal
Journal of laparoendoscopic & advanced surgical techniques. Part A (Q2)
Published
22 October 2026
Study design
Prospective / inception cohort
Evidence level
Level 2, Moderate (CEBM 2b)
Authors
Murat Izgi, Ozgur Yildirim Savran, Ozge Ozen, Sehend Debbag, Cem Simsek
PMID
42914571
DOI
10.1177/10926429261501389

Why clinicians should know about it

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is associated with a high incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) due to gastric volume reduction, preservation of vagal innervation, and inherent patient-related risk factors. Standard antiemetic prophylactic regimens are frequently insufficient in this population. This case series describes the clinical experience and postoperative outcomes associated with a multimodal antiemetic prophylaxis regimen. METHODS: In this single-center retrospective case series, data from 20 adult patients who underwent ESG under general anesthesia were analyzed. Anesthesia maintenance was standardized using manually controlled intravenous infusions of propofol and remifentanil (TIVA), without volatile anesthetics. Multimodal antiemetic prophylaxis consisted of intravenous granisetron (3 mg), dexamethasone (8 mg), haloperidol (1 mg at induction + 1 mg before emergence), and fosaprepitant (150 mg). Postoperative analgesia was managed primarily with paracetamol and ibuprofen. The primary outcome was clinically documented PONV during the early postoperative period, including the PACU stay and the first 12 postoperative hours. Emergency department presentations for severe PONV within 5 postoperative days were assessed as a secondary outcome using institutional electronic health records. RESULTS: The cohort comprised 20 patients (70% female, mean age 41.05 ± 11.22 years, mean BMI 38.33 ± 4.94 kg/m2). Comorbidities were present in 55% of patients, and 80% were non-smokers. During the early postoperative period, no clinically documented episodes of PONV requiring rescue antiemetic treatment were identified. CONCLUSION: In this small retrospective case series, multimodal antiemetic prophylaxis combined with TIVA was associated with no institutionally documented early postoperative PONV presentations and emergency department presentations for severe PONV within 5 days after ESG. Prospective studies with standardized postoperative PONV assessment are needed to determine the efficacy of this approach. Given the limitations of a retrospective case series, prospective controlled trials incorporating systematic PONV severity scoring are warranted to establish optimized guidelines.

Abstract as published, via PubMed.

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For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.