Efficacy and Safety of Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocol

Various drugs have been used to treat postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) but also have certain limitations, including limited efficacy and side effects.Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been used to manage nausea and vomiting in various conditions, including postoperative conditions, with evidence suggesting potential clinical benefits.We will search randomized controlled trials through the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Research Information Sharing Service, ScienceON, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure.The primary outcome will include severity and incidence of PONV, while the secondary outcome will include quality of life, the use of rescue medications, and adverse events.The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment tool 2.0 will be used to evaluate the risk of bias of included studies, and the quality of the evidence will be assessed using the grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluation methodology.This study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of various types of VNS for PONV, which will help clinical decision-making.