Postoperative nausea and vomiting is one of the main problems after mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty. There is a growing interest in the use of nonpharmacologic and nonintravenous approaches to the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of stimulating the P6 acupoint and of the use of metoclopramide intranasal spray on the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting after mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty.

We studied 60 patients who received mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty for chronic ottitis media. No antiemetic agent or device was provided in the C group (n = 20). Acupressure on the P6 acupoint was applied after surgery in the P6 group (n = 20). In the M group (n = 20), metoclopramide was sprayed intranasally before extubation. Severity values of postoperative nausea and vomiting were assessed using 5 scales at different postoperative times.

The severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting was significantly lower in the P6 group than in the C and M groups. There was no difference in the severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting between the C and M groups. At a postoperative 8 and 16 hr, there was a statiscally significant decrease of the severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting in the P6 group.

Acupressure on the P6 acupoint reduced the incidence and severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting after mastoidectiomy and tympanoplasty. This result suggests that acupressure at P6 may be a useful new nonpharmacologic approach to the reduction or prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting after mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty.