Trial to see if gum can help patients with post operative nausea
Is chewing gum the answer to debilitating post-operative nausea? The Barwon Health Anaesthetics Research Team are participating in the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) funded Chewy Trial to find out.
Up to a third of surgical patients suffer from severe nausea, retching and vomiting following an operation, and it seems women have these symptoms more than men. Early data suggests a simple and cheap stick of peppermint gum chewed for about 10 minutes may be as effective as anti-nausea drugs during recovery. A small pilot trial found that chewing gum could overcome three out of four cases of nausea.
Now the follow-up "Chewy Trial is being run internationally in more than 15 hospitals including Barwon Health's University Hospital Geelong.