Efficacy of Isopropyl Alcohol in Reducing Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: A Review of the Clinical Evidence

Introduction: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) remains a frequent and distressing complication after anesthesia and surgery, despite multimodal prophylactic strategies. Isopropyl alcohol (IPA), administered via inhalation, has gained renewed interest as a simple, rapid, and low-cost intervention for prevention and treatment of PONV. Objective: To review the current clinical evidence on the efficacy, safety, and applicability of isopropyl alcohol for reducing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Methods: A narrative review was conducted by searching PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar for articles published between 2020 and 2025. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and observational studies evaluating isopropyl alcohol for prophylaxis or treatment of PONV in adult or pediatric surgical patients. Results and Discussion: Recent clinical trials and meta-analyses suggest that inhaled isopropyl alcohol provides rapid onset of symptom relief for established PONV and can be used as a rescue therapy, although its prophylactic efficacy appears less robust compared to standard antiemetics. Its advantages include safety, low cost, noninvasiveness, and rapid availability in perioperative settings. Limitations include transient effects and variable study quality. Conclusion: Isopropyl alcohol inhalation represents a valuable adjunct for PONV management, particularly as rescue therapy. While current evidence supports its short-term efficacy, further high-quality, multicenter trials are needed to define its role alongside pharmacologic antiemetics in enhanced recovery protocols. Descriptors: isopropyl alcohol, postoperative nausea and vomiting, aromatherapy, antiemetics