Scopolamine Patch and Acupressure Point P6 Stimulation for Reduction of Nausea and Vomiting During Cesarean Section

Scopolamine Patch and Acupressure Point P6 Stimulation for Reduction of Nausea and Vomiting During Cesarean Section

Is the Application of Scopolamine Patch With or Without Intra-operative Acupressure Point P6 Stimulation More Effective Than Intra-operative Acupressure Point P6 Stimulation Alone?

The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of reducing intra-cesarean section nausea and vomiting with regional anesthesia in subjects who will receive scopolamine patch with acupressure point P6 stimulation versus subjects that receive just scopolamine patch versus subjects that receive just acupressure point P6 stimulation.

Nausea and vomiting are very common and unpleasant events experienced during cesarean section under regional anesthesia and in the postoperative period following cesarean section. These side effects are distressing for both the parturient and her family. In addition, intraoperative vomiting causes significant challenges for the surgeon, such as increased procedure length, increased risk of bleeding, increased risk of gastric content aspiration, and potential surgical trauma. To combat the nausea and vomiting seen in all above anesthetic modalities, but to a greater degree in regional anesthesia, a number of pharmacological interventions are currently used with varying degrees of effectiveness in the perioperative period. These medications come from a wide range of drug classes including serotonin and dopamine receptor antagonists, corticosteroids, antihistamines, sedatives and anticholinergics. In our study, we would like to compare the effectiveness of antiemetic agents or technique which cause less severe adverse reactions to the mother and her fetus. Out of the available pharmacological agents for reduction of intra-cesarean section nausea and vomiting, transdermal scopolamine patch is one of the safest medications. We would like to compare the effectiveness of the transdermal scopolamine patch with acupressure point P6 stimulation versus just transdermal scopolamine patch versus just acupressure point P6 stimulation.

Scopolamine patch will be placed on the skin behind the right ear 1 hour before initiation of the regional anesthesia for the duration of surgery.

Acupressure point P6 stimulation will be placed on the distal right forearm just above the crest of the wrist.

Group I (n=80): Will receive scopolamine patch placement on the skin behind the right ear 1 hour before initiation of the regional anesthesia for the duration of surgery. The time of the application of the patch will be recorded, and the time of the start of the surgery will be recorded. The last time point for evaluation of patient's nausea/vomiting will be when the patient arrives to the post anesthesia care unit. A member of the research team will remove the patch from the patient and properly dispose the patch upon arrival to the post anesthesia care unit.

Group II (n=80): Will receive acupressure point P6 stimulation. This is a stimulation of the chi channel at the master of the heart (MH8 position) at the small depression of the volar surface of the distal right forearm just above the crest of the wrist. The device will be put on the patients in the operating room prior to administration of the regional anesthesia and will be removed after the cesarean section is complete. The device will be removed from the patient in the operating room, before the patient is transported to the recovery room. Patients will receive continuous stimulation at a level that is comfortable for her prior to administration of the standardized regional anesthesia.

The investigators will analyze if there is a statistically significant difference between the number of patients that experience nausea at any point during the surgical procedure in each group.

The investigators will perform objective assessments of whether or not the patients have vomited during the procedure. The investigators will then analyze if there is a statistically significant difference between the number of patients that vomit in each group.

Patients are asked their nausea and vomiting treatment satisfaction (0 = Not Satisfied, 10 = Extremely Satisfied). Patients are also asked their overall satisfaction with the procedure (0 = Not Satisfied, 10 = Extremely Satisfied).

Patients offer their subjective assessments of the level of nausea on a scale of 0-10 (0 = no nausea, 10 = worst nausea ever experienced) after the administration of the regional anesthesia medications. The investigators will analyze if there is a statistically significant difference between the number of patients that experience nausea in each group at this point. Patients that report nausea (1 or more on our scale) will be recorded as that they have experienced nausea.

Patients offer their subjective assessments of the level of nausea on a scale of 0-10 (0 = no nausea, 10 = worst nausea ever experienced) after eversion of the uterus. The investigators will analyze if there is a statistically significant difference between the number of patients that experience nausea in each group at this point. Patients that report nausea (1 or more on our scale) will be recorded as that they have experienced nausea.

Patients offer their subjective assessments of the level of nausea on a scale of 0-10 (0 = no nausea, 10 = worst nausea ever experienced) after replacement of the uterus. The investigators will analyze if there is a statistically significant difference between the number of patients that experience nausea in each group at this point. Patients that report nausea (1 or more on our scale) will be recorded as that they have experienced nausea.

Patients offer their subjective assessments of the level of nausea on a scale of 0-10 (0 = no nausea, 10 = worst nausea ever experienced) upon arrival to the post-operative recovery room. The investigators will analyze if there is a statistically significant difference between the number of patients that experience nausea in each group at this point. Patients that report nausea (1 or more on our scale) will be recorded as that they have experienced nausea.

Objective assessments of whether or not the patients have vomited at this point in the surgical procedure will be done. The investigators will analyze if there is a statistically significant difference between the number of patients that vomit in each group.

Objective assessments of whether or not the patients have vomited at this point in the surgical procedure will be done. The investigators will analyze if there is a statistically significant difference between the number of patients that vomit in each group.

Objective assessments of whether or not the patients have vomited at this point in the surgical procedure will be done. The investigators will analyze if there is a statistically significant difference between the number of patients that vomit in each group.

Objective assessments of whether or not the patients have vomited at this point in the surgical procedure will be done. The investigators will analyze if there is a statistically significant difference between the number of patients that vomit in each group.

Inclusion Criteria: Female subjects ages 18 to 45 Subjects with ASA Class I or II Subjects with elective primary or repeat cesarean delivery Subjects who receive spinal and/or epidural anesthesia English and non-English speaking subjects will be included in the study Exclusion Criteria: Female subjects <18 years of age Subjects requiring emergent cesarean delivery Gestational age < 37 weeks History of placenta accreta Multiple gestation pregnancy ASA status III or higher Current history of pregnancy induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia, or eclampsia History of any chronic medication use (other than prenatal vitamins), including inhaler medications Current urinary tract infection, pneumonia, or otitis media Coagulopathies or skin infections overlying the spine History of open angle glaucoma, seizures or psychosis

Hawkins JL, Koonin LM, Palmer SK, Gibbs CP. Anesthesia-related deaths during obstetric delivery in the United States, 1979-1990. Anesthesiology. 1997 Feb;86(2):277-84. doi: 10.1097/00000542-199702000-00002.

Ezri T, Szmuk P, Evron S, Geva D, Hagay Z, Katz J. Difficult airway in obstetric anesthesia: a review. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 2001 Oct;56(10):631-41. doi: 10.1097/00006254-200110000-00022.

Malvasi A, Tinelli A, Stark M, Pontrelli G, Brizzi A, Wetzl RG, Benhamou D. Low-dose sequential combined spinal-epidural anaesthesia in elective Stark caesarean section: a preliminary cohort study. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2010 Mar;14(3):215-21.

Afolabi BB, Lesi FE. Regional versus general anaesthesia for caesarean section. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Oct 17;10:CD004350. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004350.pub3.

Riley ET, Cohen SE, Macario A, Desai JB, Ratner EF. Spinal versus epidural anesthesia for cesarean section: a comparison of time efficiency, costs, charges, and complications. Anesth Analg. 1995 Apr;80(4):709-12. doi: 10.1097/00000539-199504000-00010.

Balki M, Carvalho JC. Intraoperative nausea and vomiting during cesarean section under regional anesthesia. Int J Obstet Anesth. 2005 Jul;14(3):230-41. doi: 10.1016/j.ijoa.2004.12.004.

Paranjothy S, Griffiths JD, Broughton HK, Gyte GM, Brown HC, Thomas J. Interventions at caesarean section for reducing the risk of aspiration pneumonitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Feb 5;(2):CD004943. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004943.pub4.

Flake ZA, Linn BS, Hornecker JR. Practical selection of antiemetics in the ambulatory setting. Am Fam Physician. 2015 Mar 1;91(5):293-6.

Golembiewski J, Chernin E, Chopra T. Prevention and treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2005 Jun 15;62(12):1247-60; quiz 1261-2. doi: 10.1093/ajhp/62.12.1247.

Apfel CC, Zhang K, George E, Shi S, Jalota L, Hornuss C, Fero KE, Heidrich F, Pergolizzi JV, Cakmakkaya OS, Kranke P. Transdermal scopolamine for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Ther. 2010 Nov;32(12):1987-2002. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2010.11.014. Erratum In: Clin Ther. 2010 Dec;32(14):2502.

Renner UD, Oertel R, Kirch W. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in clinical use of scopolamine. Ther Drug Monit. 2005 Oct;27(5):655-65. doi: 10.1097/01.ftd.0000168293.48226.57.

Lee A, Fan LT. Stimulation of the wrist acupuncture point P6 for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009 Apr 15;(2):CD003281. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003281.pub3.

Allen TK, Habib AS. P6 stimulation for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with cesarean delivery under neuraxial anesthesia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Anesth Analg. 2008 Oct;107(4):1308-12. doi: 10.1213/ane.0b013e31816d1864.

Belluomini J, Litt RC, Lee KA, Katz M. Acupressure for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: a randomized, blinded study. Obstet Gynecol. 1994 Aug;84(2):245-8.

Griffiths JD, Gyte GM, Popham PA, Williams K, Paranjothy S, Broughton HK, Brown HC, Thomas J. Interventions for preventing nausea and vomiting in women undergoing regional anaesthesia for caesarean section. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 May 18;5(5):CD007579. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007579.pub3.