Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 12, 595-607, Copyright © 1965 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

The Action of Triethylperazine (Torecan®), A New Anti-Emetic, Compared with Perphenazine (Trilafon®), Trimethobenzamide (Tigan®), and a Placebo in the Suppression of Postanaesthetic Nausea and Vomiting

¹ Department of Anaesthesia, Victoria General Hospital and Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia

A comparative trial of thiethylperazine (Torecan®), perphenazine (Trilafon®) and trimethobenzamide (Tigan®) has been carried out in a selected population of female patients anaesthetised with a standard anaesthetic technique for three operations associated with a high risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Compared with a placebo, both thiethylperazine and perphenazine were effective in reducing the incidence and severity of emtic symptoms, whereas trimethobenzamide showed a tendency to increase these symptoms after an initial mild anti-emetic action. Postoperative hypotension occurred more frequently after perphenazine, but this drug reduced the need for postoperative analgesic drugs. It is suggested that increased drowsiness in patients receiving perphenazine may contribute to this apparent potentiation of narcotics. Thiethylperazine did not produce significantly more hypotension than the placebo, and did not potentiate narcotics or prolong postoperative sleep. No extrapyramidal signs were seen in any patients in this trial.

Note:

This study was supported by a grant-in-aid from Sandoz Pharmaceuticals (Canada) Ltd., whose assistance in statistical analysis and preparation of figures is gratefully acknowledged