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Evaluation of gastric contents using ultrasound in full-term pregnant women fasted for 8 h: a prospective observational study

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A Correction to this article was published on 23 November 2021

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Abstract

Background

We aimed to evaluate the gastric volume and contents after an 8-h fasting period in full-term, non-laboring, pregnant women following a standardized meal.

Methods

In this prospective observational study, we included full-term pregnant women scheduled for elective cesarean delivery. The participants were instructed to fast after a standardized meal (apple juice, bread, and cheese). Participants were scanned in the semi-recumbent and right-lateral positions 8 h after the standardized meal. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with gastric volume > 1.5 mL kg−1 calculated by two equations. Secondary outcomes included the antral cross-sectional area and gastric volume. Data are expressed as frequency (%, 95% confidence interval [CI]), mean ± standard deviation (95% CI of the mean), or median (quartiles) as appropriate.

Results

Forty-one women were available for the final analysis. For the primary outcome, one participant (2.4%, 95% CI of 0.06 to 12.8%) had gastric volume > 1.5 mL kg−1, and none had solids in the antrum. For the secondary outcomes, the mean (95% CI of the mean) of the antral cross-sectional area was 2.11 ± 0.72 (1.88 to 2.34) cm2 and 4.08 ± 1.80 (3.51 to 4.65) cm2 during the semi-recumbent and right-lateral position, respectively. The median (quartiles) gastric volume was 0.53 (0.32, 0.66) mL kg−1 and 0.33 (0.13, 0.52) mL kg−1 as estimated by Perlas et al. and Roukhomovsky et al. equations, respectively.

Conclusion

After 8-h fasting following a standardized meal, full-term pregnant non-laboring women are less likely to have a high residual gastric volume.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, 01 Elsarayah Street, Elmanyal, Cairo, 11559, Egypt

    Khaled Sarhan, Ahmed Hasanin, Ramy Melad, Hany Elhadi, Mona Elsherbeeny, Amany Arafa & Maha Mostafa

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

    Reham Fouad

Authors
  1. Khaled Sarhan
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  2. Ahmed Hasanin
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  3. Ramy Melad
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  4. Reham Fouad
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  7. Amany Arafa
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  8. Maha Mostafa
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Correspondence to Maha Mostafa.

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Sarhan, K., Hasanin, A., Melad, R. et al. Evaluation of gastric contents using ultrasound in full-term pregnant women fasted for 8 h: a prospective observational study. J Anesth 36, 137–142 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00540-021-03019-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00540-021-03019-2

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