We all have a good idea about how our patients feel after their surgery, because we care for them in the PACU. And very often, patients receive a follow-up call on the next day. However, while most of us have some idea who might not do well postoperatively, there is no prospective survey that tried to predict who will suffer from postdischarge nausea and vomiting (PDNV) and to what extend these symptoms affect their daily living.

We want to know whether we can predict the patient’s risk for not doing well after they left the hospital in terms of nausea, vomiting and pain. Based on these findings, we hope that we can improve the comfort and safety of our patients in the future.

We are conducting a prospective survey of approximately 3,000 consecutive patients undergoing general anesthesia in about 10 US centers. As an integral part of the study design, patient medical treatment will remain fully at the discretion of the treating anesthesiologist and surgeon in order to reflect real-life conditions and current clinical practice in the US.