Transdermal Nicotine in Female Patients at High Risk for Post Operative Nausea and/or Vomiting (PONV)
Transdermal Nicotine in Female Patients at High Risk for Post Operative Nausea and/or Vomiting (PONV)
The purpose of this study is to see if the nicotine patch reduces post operative nausea
 and/or vomiting (PONV) among non-smoking patients who are at high risk of PONV.
There are certain known risk factors for post-operative nausea and/or vomiting: the use of
 opioids during surgery, female gender, laparoscopic surgery, gynecologic surgery, strabismus
 repair, the use of a general anesthetic, obesity, and non-smoker. Patients with four or more
 of these risk factors have an 80% occurrence rate of post-operative nausea and/or vomiting
 and are classified as "high risk". It has been shown that those who use tobacco have about a
 50% reduction in post-operative nausea and/or vomiting.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  age 18-65

 -  female

 -  health patient or acute illness

 -  undergoing outpatient-type general surgery, especially those associated with increased
 incidence of post-operative nausea and/or vomiting such as gynecological procedures

 -  undergoing general anesthesia for the surgery

 -  receiving opioids during surgery

 -  non-smokers

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  history of any heart condition

 -  history of uncontrolled hypertension, or presence of any condition that could be made
 drastically worse by an increase in blood pressure

 -  history of an aneurysm

 -  active tobacco use within the past five years

 -  works or lives in the presence of cigarette smoke

 -  pregnant

 -  mentally ill

 -  prisoners

 -  history of allergic reaction to nicotine or to adhesive patches

 -  history of allergic reaction to propofol, versed, fentanyl, zofran, decadron, and
 reglan