Objective:

To compare the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) within 24 hours after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in patients receiving opioid-free TIVA with propofol versus opioid-free inhalational anesthesia with sevoflurane.

Approach:

• Study Design: A single-center, prospective, parallel-group randomized controlled trial comparing two opioid-free anesthesia techniques for patients undergoing elective laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.
• Patient Eligibility: Adult patients with severe obesity scheduled for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy were screened for inclusion, with specific exclusion criteria.
• Randomization and Blinding: Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the TIVA group or the Sevo group, with measures taken to maintain blinding for postoperative assessments.
• Anesthesia Protocol: Standardized multimodal analgesic preload was administered before induction, followed by general anesthesia induction using either TIVA with propofol or inhalation with sevoflurane.

Key Findings:

• The study aimed to determine the differences in PONV incidence between TIVA and inhalational anesthesia.
• Secondary objectives included comparing postoperative pain scores, 24-hour opioid requirements, intraoperative hemodynamic events, and early recovery characteristics.

Interpretation:

The study's findings will provide insights into the effectiveness of opioid-free anesthesia techniques in bariatric surgery.

Limitations:

• The study was conducted at a single center, which may limit generalizability.
• Anesthesiologists could not be blinded to group assignment due to the nature of the interventions.

Conclusion:

The study evaluates the comparative effectiveness of two opioid-free anesthesia techniques in bariatric surgery, focusing on postoperative outcomes.