Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the effects of low dose methylprednisolone and metoclopramide

on nausea, vomiting and respiratory complications after adenotonsillectomy.

Study Design: Retrospective study

Place and Duration: The study was conducted in Divisional Headquarter Teaching Hospital, Mirpur AJK for

duration of six months from December 2020 to May 2021.

Methods: Total 150 patients of both genders underwent adenotonsillectomy presented in this study. Patients

were aged between 3-15 years. Detailed demographics of enrolled cases age, sex and weight were recorded

after taking informed written consent. Patients were equally divided into two groups. Group I had 75 patients

and received 1 mg/kg IV methylpredinosolone and group II received 0.15 mg/kg metoclopramide among 75

patients. Post-operative effects on PONV were assessed and compared among both groups in terms of oral

intake time, vomiting episodes, respiratory complications and side effects. Mean pain score was calculated by

VAS. Complete data was analyzed by SPSS 23.0 version.

Results: There were 40 (53.3%) females and 35 (46.7%) males in group I with mean age 9.43±1.44 years while

in group II 42 (56%) were females and 33 (44%) were male patients with mean age 8.04±3.36 years. Mean

weight of the patients in group I was 23.08±4.61 kg and in group II mean body weight was 22.11±6.84 kg. Mean

operative time in group I was 27.41±8.53 min and in group II mean time was 28.17±6.34 min. Post-operative

frequency of vomiting and nausea was lower in group I 14 (18.7%) and 16 (21.3%) as compared to group II 21

(28%) and 24 (34%). Low pain score was found in group I 1.71±6.11 as compared to group II 3.02±4.09. Time

to oral intake was higher in group II 2.98±3.48 hours as compared to group I 1.09±7.51 hours. Rate of

respiratory complications and side effects were significantly higher in group II.

Conclusion: We concluded in this study that the use of methylpredinosolone was effective among patients

those underwent for adenotonsillectomy in terms of post-operative frequency of PONV, pain, respiratory

complications and side effects. Except this low dose of methylpredinosolone were effective in earlier tolerance

of oral intake.

Keywords: Adenotonsillectomy, Metoclopramide, Methylpredinosolone, Oral Intake