Effectiveness of oral peppermint as treatment of postoperative nausea after gynecological surgery

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of an oral peppermint lozenge as a treatment for postoperative nausea and vomiting among females undergoing a gynecological operative procedure under general anesthesia.
Methods: Prospective design with consented subjects randomly assigned to either the control or the intervention group. A total of 132 subjects were assigned to the intervention group. Postoperative nausea was assessed upon admission to the post anesthesia care unit using the Aldrete Scoring System and the Discomfort and Intervention Assessment Measure. The intervention was administered to subjects when the assessment indicated nausea. Data was collected from subjects in the control group for comparison purposes.
Results: Demographically, there were minor variances between the control and intervention groups, none of which were statistically significant. Of the 12 subjects who required the intervention, it successfully treated their postoperative nausea 9 times, with 3 of the subjects requiring the administration of an antiemetic.
Conclusions: Consideration for oral peppermint, as treatment of postoperative nausea, should be explored. The results of this study demonstrate its ability to resolve the experience with no adverse effects noted, and decreasing the need for an antiemetic drug.