The effect of isopropyl alcohol sniffing on the treatment of post-operative nausea and vomiting

BACKGROUND:Post-operative nausea and vomiting can prolong recovery and its treatment has traditionally been dependent on parenteral medication which is expensive and may cause various side effects. In recent studies, sniffing of isopropyl alcohol (ISO) appears to relieve post-operative nausea and vomiting. We performed this pilot study to examine the efficacy of ISO sniffing in the treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting.MATERIALS AND METHODS:Eighty-two consecutive patients (48 females, 34 males) who complained of nausea and vomiting after elective surgery were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. 0.5 ml of either normal saline (control group) or ISO (study group), was applied to a instructed to sniff twice. The symptoms were reassessed immediately and 5 minutes later. All the patients who did not respond to the initial treatment after 5 minutes received a second treatment. The patients who did not respond the second time, received an injection of metoclopromide.RESULTS:Thirty-two (78%) patients responded the first time and 9 (22%) did not respond to ISO (P<0.0001). However, in the control group only 3 (7.3%) patients responded and 38 (92.7%) patients failed to respond to normal saline and metoclopramide was administered. Out of 32 patients who responded to isopropyl alcohol, nausea and vomiting redeveloped in 14 (43.8%) and ISO was readministered after 5 minutes. Five patients again developed the symptoms and were treated by metoclopramide.CONCLUSION:Isopropyl alcohol may serve as a simple, innocuous, and inexpensive treatment for post-operative nausea and vomiting.