New research in Anesthesia Progress suggests that changing general anesthesia methods may reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting in dental patients with intellectual disabilities who require repeated procedures. The study found that avoiding nitrous oxide and using propofol-based anesthesia significantly lowered both the incidence and severity of PONV, supporting more individualized anesthesia planning for high-risk patients.
GLEN ALLEN, Va., June 29, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- One of the most common complications of general anesthesia is postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). For patients who require repeated procedures under general anesthesia, especially individuals with intellectual disabilities undergoing dental treatment, recurring episodes of nausea and vomiting can negatively affect recovery, quality of life, and willingness to undergo future treatment. New research suggests that modifying the anesthetic technique may significantly reduce both the incidence and severity of PONV in these patients.
To investigate whether anesthesia type affects patient outcomes, researchers from the Department of Dental Anesthesiology at Ohu University School of Dentistry in Fukushima, Japan, recently published a study in the current issue of Anesthesia Progress. Lead author Rina Sato, DDS, PhD, and colleagues state, "We aimed to compare the incidence and the severity of PONV among intellectually disabled dental patients who underwent general anesthesia multiple times with different methods. We aimed to identify a more suitable general anesthetic method with a lower incidence and severity of PONV for those patients who are deemed at high risk for PONV."
This cross-sectional case series examined 290 patients in 2,872 dental treatment cases, who received repeated general anesthetics between 1988 and 2023. The following three anesthesia methods were evaluated: nitrous oxide-sevoflurane (NOS), sevoflurane-remifentanil (SRF), and propofol-remifentanil (PRF). Researchers reviewed the occurrence and severity of PONV in patients using a standardized five-point scoring system. If a patient experienced PONV, clinicians changed the anesthesia method for subsequent procedures, and outcomes were compared.
Sato et al. found that PONV occurred in 6.5% of cases and affected 28.8% of patients at least once. Patients receiving NOS experienced the highest rates of PONV, while lower rates were observed with SRF and PRF. When anesthesia was changed from NOS to SRF, PONV incidence decreased by 25.2%. Switching from NOS to PRF reduced PONV incidence by 40.4%, while switching from SRF to PRF reduced it by 36.4%. The severity of PONV also improved significantly when anesthesia methods were changed. Compared with NOS, severity scores decreased by 0.53 points with SRF and by 0.92 points with PRF. Patients who switched from SRF to PRF experienced an additional 0.62-point reduction in severity. These findings show that avoiding NOS and using propofol-based anesthesia may benefit patients with PONV.
The authors conclude that individualized modification of anesthesia types can significantly reduce both the frequency and severity of PONV among patients requiring repeated dental treatment under general anesthesia. The findings support the use of different anesthetic methods, as Sato and colleagues state, "The absence of nitrous oxide and the use of propofol were identified as methods for further reducing the incidence and severity of PONV."
Full text of the article, "Impact of Changing the General Anesthesia Method on Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting Incident and Severity," Vol. 73, No. 2, 2026, is now available at www.anesthesiaprogress.org
About Anesthesia Progress:
Anesthesia Progress is the official publication of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology (ADSA). The quarterly journal is dedicated to providing a better understanding of the advances being made in the science of pain and anxiety control in dentistry. The journal invites submissions of review articles, reports on clinical techniques, case reports, and conference summaries. To learn more about the ADSA, visit: http://www.adsahome.org/.
Media Contact
Maria Preston-Cargill, KnowledgeWorks Global, 1 7852892532, [email protected], https://www.kwglobal.com/
SOURCE Anesthesia Progress
Share this article