Effect of Oliceridine Analgesia on Postoperative Nause and Vomiting

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common adverse event after surgery. A retrospective study found that PONV occurred in 14.4% of enrolled 106860 patients. The reported incidences in prospective studies varied between 25.5% to 33.3%. Certain types of laparoscopic surgery are associated with an increased risk of PONV, including bariatric surgery, gynecological surgery, and cholecystectomy. PONV can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, delay early ambulation, impede rapid recovery after surgery, decrease patients' satisfactory, and potentially prolong hospital stay and increase cost.

Opioids are commonly used during the perioperative period and are associated with increased PONV. Conventional opioids such as morphine and sufentanil activate both the G protein and β-arrestin pathways; the latter approach contributes to opioid-related PONV through multiple mechanisms, such as enhanced vestibular sensitivity, direct effects on the chemoreceptor trigger zone, and delayed gastric emptying. Oliceridine is a novel selective μ-opioid agonist. It stimulates G protein signalling but is markedly less potent than morphine for β-arrestin recruitment. It is therefore postulated that G protein-biased agonists may deliver effective analgesia with fewer opioid-related PONV.

Previous studies in patients with moderate-to-severe pain following orthopaedic surgery-bunionectomy or plastic surgery-abdominoplasty showed that oliceridine provided an excellent analgesic efficacy compared with morphine and placebo. The analgesic efficiency of 0.35 mg or 0.5 mg oliceridine was equal to 1 mg morphine. However, the rate of PONV was significantly lower in patients given oliceridine than in those given morphine. Patients who undergo laparoscopic colorectal surgery are more likely to develop PONV due to the pneumoperitoneum, interruption of gastrointestinal system, delay of oral feeding, and nasogastric catheterization, as well as postoperative opioid analgesia to control pain. Thus, selective μ-opioid agonist might be more suitable for postoperative analgesia for these patients.

This randomized trial aimed to investigate whether oliceridine compared with morphine for postoperative analgesia can decrease the incidence of PONV in patients after laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

Inclusion criteria

• Aged between 18 and 80 years;
• Scheduled to undergo elective laparoscopic colorectal surgery;
• Required patient-controlled intravenous analgesia.

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnancy.
• Severe heart dysfunction (New York Heart Association functional classification 4), hepatic insufficiency (Child-Pugh grade C), renal insufficiency (serum creatinine of 442 μmol/L or above, or requirement of renal replacement therapy), or Amercian Society of Anesthesiologists classification IV or above.
• Unable to complete preoperative assessment due to severe dementia or language barrier.
• Other conditions that are considered unsuitable for study participation.