Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part G (2025)

Postoperative nausea and vomiting constitute a prevalent complication following general anesthesia that negatively impacts recovery, prolongs hospitalizations, and reduces patient satisfaction; therefore, its prevention is essential in contemporary anesthetic practice.

This descriptive, prospective, single-center study aimed to determine the incidence of these complications in the post-anesthesia recovery unit of Hospital General de Zona No. 20 during June-November 2024. A total of 298 adult patients of both sexes who underwent balanced general anesthesia were included, selected through consecutive non-probabilistic sampling.

The analysis included qualitative variables (frequencies and percentages) and quantitative variables (measures of central tendency and dispersion). Pearson or Spearman correlation tests were applied as appropriate, and incidence was calculated using standard epidemiological formulas with SPSS version 25.

The population consisted predominantly of women (64.1%), with mean age of 55.08 years. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was the most frequent comorbidity (42%). Virtually all procedures (96.6%) were performed under balanced general anesthesia.

The overall incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting was 35%, with significant correlation between the Apfel scale and the presence of these complications (r = 0.68, p < 0.01), demonstrating the predictive value of this tool.

In conclusion, the observed incidence of 35% aligns with international reports, confirming the clinical relevance of this complication in local settings and the necessity to implement personalized preventive strategies based on individual risk assessment.