Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting after Gynecologic Surgery: The Effects of Preoperative Whey Protein Supplementation
Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common surgical complication, especially in breast and gynecologic surgery, with a high incidence despite prophylactic treatment. There is uncertainty about the effective dos
This study aimed to investigate the effect of preoperative whey protein (WP) supplementation on postoperative recovery and PONV in gynecologic tumor patients with good nutritional status. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted involving 52 patients undergoing gynecologic tumor surgery. The experimental group received WP liquid daily for 3 days before surgery, while the R-M group received rice-milk (R-M) liquid daily. The primary endpoint was incidence of PONV, with secondary endpoints including postoperative recovery indicators such as length of hospital stay, time to first flatus and defecation, time to first ambulation, and nutritional indicators. Statistical analysis was performed using Python, with a P-value less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. The study found that preoperative WP supplementation reduced the incidence of PONV within 24 hours after surgery and accelerated postoperative recovery, including shorter hospital stay and earlier exhaust, defecation, and ambulation time. These findings suggest that preoperative WP supplementation may have clinical relevance in improving postoperative recovery outcomes.