Abstract
Background: Tonsillectomy in pediatric patients is commonly associated with postoperative nausea, vomiting, pain, and reduced oral intake, all of which can adversely affect recovery. Dexamethasone, a corticosteroid with anti-inflammatory and antiemetic properties, has been utilized to alleviate postoperative symptoms.
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of intravenous dexamethasone at a dose of 0.15 mg/kg in preventing nausea and vomiting, reducing pain, and enhancing recovery quality in children undergoing tonsillectomy.
Methods: A randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted involving 100 pediatric patients scheduled for tonsillectomy. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups: Group D received dexamethasone 0.15 mg/kg (max 5 mg) intravenously at induction, and Group C received 0.9% sodium chloride. The monitored outcomes included the incidence of PONV, pain scores using the Faces Pain ScaleRevised (FPS-R), time to first oral intake, volume of fluid intake, time to initiation of soft diet, and Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) scores.
Results: The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting was significantly lower in Group D compared to Group C (12% vs 42%, p < 0.05). Pain scores were significantly reduced in the dexamethasone group at all postoperative time points. Moreover, Group D showed earlier resumption of oral intake, higher fluid consumption, and a shorter time to initiate a soft diet, with statistically significant differences. QoR-15 scores were consistently higher in Group D across all postoperative time points, reflecting better overall recovery.
Conclusion: A single intravenous dose of dexamethasone (0.15 mg/kg) at induction is a safe and effective strategy to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting, reduce pain, improve oral intake, and enhance recovery quality following pediatric tonsillectomy.
| Published | 2025-12-25 | |
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| Issue | Vol. 15 No. 7 (2025) | |
| Section | Original Articles | |
| DOI | 10.34071/jmp.2025.7.29 | |
| Keywords | buồn nôn và nôn sau phẫu thuật, dexamethason, đau, hồi phục sau phẫu thuật, phẫu thuật cắt amidan, QoR-15 Postoperative nausea and vomiting, dexamethasone, pain, postoperative recovery, tonsillectomy, QoR-15 |
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