Pre‐operative gastric ultrasound in patients at risk of pulmonary aspiration: a prospective observational cohort study
Authors' conclusion
We showed that pre-operative gastric ultrasound helps to identify high- and low-risk situations in patients at risk of aspiration and adds useful information to peri-operative management.
Study context
- Population
- Adults undergoing elective or emergency surgery at risk of pulmonary aspiration, before induction of GA
- Participants
- 2,003 adults
- Exposure
- Elective vs Emergency
- Electiven = 1,246
- Emergencyn = 757
- Outcome
- Changes in aspiration risk management (none; more conservative; more liberal) after routine pre-operative gastric ultrasound
Methodological detailssingle-centre
- Single-centre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Change in anaesthetic management after gastric sonography
| Group | More liberal | More conservative |
|---|---|---|
| Elective | 170/1246 (14%) | 52/1246 (4%) |
| Emergency | 133/757 (18%) | 24/757 (3%) |
More liberal
Elective170/1246 (14%)
Emergency133/757 (18%)
More conservative
Elective52/1246 (4%)
Emergency24/757 (3%)
- Any change in anaesthetic management, all patients
- 379/2003 (19%)
- More liberal approach, all patients
- 303/2003 (15%)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Elective | Emergency |
|---|---|---|
| Gastric ultrasound risk category (low risk: empty or fluid ≤ 1.5 ml.kg-1; high risk: solid, mixed or fluid > 1.5 ml.kg-1) | ||
| Low-risk stomach | 1046/1246 (84%) | 587/757 (78%) |
| High-risk stomach | 178/1246 (14%) | 158/757 (21%) |
Original publication
Pre‐operative gastric ultrasound in patients at risk of pulmonary aspiration: a prospective observational cohort study. Anaesthesia. Published 16 August 2023. doi:10.
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